2014-2015 Credit-By-Exam (CBE) Information
Background
HISD provides for students (who have not had prior instruction) to advance in grades by taking the Credit-by-Examination (CBE). CBE may also be used for students who are enrolling from home schools, unaccredited private schools, or foreign schools and students for whom no records are available, including kindergarten students. The HISD Student Assessment Department coordinates CBE’s administered during the district’s set testing windows for acceleration purposes only.
Highlights
1. HISD now sponsors four testing windows: Fall CBE #1, Fall CBE #2, Spring CBE #3, Summer CBE #4.
2. CBEs, with the exception of foreign language exams, are only available in English.
3. The University of Texas and Texas Tech University are approved providers of CBE. Test administrations which occur outside the prescribed testing windows, are administered for credit recovery (those assessed with prior instruction), or assessments purchased from Texas Tech University are not sponsored by HISD Student Assessment. The campus or parent requesting such assessments will incur the costs associated with those exams.
4. Passing scores from two different CBE administrations, (grades 1-5) may be used to meet passing requirements for the four core areas.
5. A student is only allowed to advance one grade level or course per academic school year.
6. CBE may be requested for a child attending Kindergarten in HISD who meets age eligibility to attend school (5 years old on September 1st. The district has also developed procedures for kindergarten acceleration that have been approved by the school district board of trustees.
7. Students in grades 1 – 5 must score 80% or higher on the CBE to be advanced in the following areas:
I. Language Arts
II. Mathematics
III. Science
IV. Social Studies
8. CBE spring administrations may be considered for placement for the upcoming academic year only. Subjects that do not have a state End-of-Course (EOC) assessment no later than the 2018 -2019 school year are eligible for CBE for students in grades 6 – 12.
9. According to Texas Administrative Code Section 74.19, a student in any of Grades 6 -12 must be given credit for an academic subject in which s/he has had no prior instruction if the student scores:
I. A three or higher on a College Board advanced placement examination that has been approved by the school district board of trustees for the applicable course
II. A scaled score of 60 or higher on an examination administered through the College-Level Examination Program and approved by the school district board of trustees for the applicable course; or
III. 80% on any other criterion-referenced test approved by the school district board of trustees for the applicable course.
10. A student may not attempt to earn CBE for a specific high school course more than two (2) times during his/her high school career. If a student fails to earn CBE for a specific high school course before the beginning of the school year in which the student would ordinarily be required to enroll in that course in accordance with the school district’s prescribed course sequence, the student must satisfactorily complete the course to receive credit.
11. HISD Board of Trustees authorized HISD to generate its own CBEs for Spanish 1 and Spanish 2. The HISD created CBEs are to be used only for:
· Original Credit only, not Credit recovery.
· Without prior instruction
· Spanish Native Speakers, (ELL or not)
Campuses should contact either Mike Dorsey at 713-556-6823 or Luis “Cesar” Carrillo at 713-556-6823 to review such requests.
For additional questions regarding CBE, contact Student Assessment Department at (713) 349-7460 or via email at .
HISD Student Assessment Department (10/30/14) Page 1