Curriculum Based Assessments (CBAs)

Curriculum Based Assessments (CBAs) are tests created by the Wylie ISD Curriculum Writing Team members in conjunction with assessment databases from various Texas sources. The assessments are aligned with the Texas state standards (TEKS: Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) and assess student learning. CBAs give teachers and students evidence of each student’s level of mastery of the performance standard as stated in the TEKS and in the Wylie ISD curriculum documents. CBAs have many benefits including; they enable teachers to be more realistic when judging a student’s rate of progress in the curriculum, they identify problems, as well as plan and monitor the effectiveness of interventions, and interventions can better ensure an instructional match between what the student knows and what the teacher teaches.

How can parents help children prepare for these tests?

Since these tests depend on students’ actual deep understanding of the knowledge and skills, there is no way to “cram” for these tests. Instead, visit the Curriculum Department section on the Wylie ISD website for a copy of the scope and sequence of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for the grade or course in which your child is enrolled. This scope and sequence details the standards that students are expected to master prior to the administration of the Curriculum Based Assessments.

How can parents reinforce what is learned in the classroom?

Parents can help students focus on learning material and reinforcing a deep understanding of it by implementing these four strategies:

Make real life connections to what they are learning in the classroom

Have them split a recipe to learn about fractions.
Talk about scientific principles of riding a skateboard or roller coaster.
Give them a field guide and see how many trees, plants, or birds they can identify using the guide.

Familiarize them with graphs, charts, and maps

Have them make three true statements about the nutritional chart on a box of cereal.
They can read a map on a family road trip.
Have them chart their points scored over the athletic season.
Encourage the use of graphic organizers when completing homework.

Encourage free writing

Have them keep a journal.
They can write letters to family and friends.
Write a proposal for a cell phone.

Promote multi-step and interdisciplinary thinking

Ask, “Why is it important to learn about different types of insects?”
Using division, have them determine how many goody bags are needed for a party.
Start a conversation about how hurricanes affect the economy.