Young people are actively pursuing the college of their choice. Preparations have been in progress since their freshman year. So much pressure has been placed on the SAT and ACT tests that one little known part of the college admissions process has been overlooked – the college admissions letter. Not every college requires the admission letter, but it is quickly becoming standard procedure. 
The best time to begin thinking about this letter is the beginning of the senior year so that the student will have plenty of time to ask someone to write the letter and there will be plenty of time for them to get the letter written.
Choosing the right person to recommend you is a task itself. Think about your teacher. Is there one that you specifically enjoy being in their classes? If you enjoy being in his classes, he probably enjoys having you in the class too. That teacher will want to see you succeed. Consider the length of time you’ve had this teacher. Maybe you chose one of his classes as a younger student, or perhaps he is the teacher who teaches in the field of expertise that you truly enjoy.  The two of you share the same passions in learning. This is a teacher who will truly have your best interest in mind. Your person of choice does not have to be some person who is high up in the influential world. It just needs to be a person who knows you, your work habits, and the interests that you have.
Walking into a teacher’s classroom and asking “Can you write a letter of recommendation for me?” is definitely not the way to get a good letter written. Instead, make an appointment or choose a relatively quiet time to ask. Remember, teachers are busy people. There are lessons plans to be made, papers to be graded, and other students needing attention. Also, be prepared for the teacher who says, “No.”  Thank them and talk to another teacher.  Remember that teachers are not required to write recommendation letters.
Many people that write letters of recommendation enjoy the task and will need a well-written list of what the letter needs to contain and when the letter is due. Take time to prepare a little note that focuses on what your goals are for college. This will allow the writer to focus the letter on only the relevant issues.
It is your responsibility to provide stamps and envelopes. Be sure that the envelope is properly addressed. Then you can be sure that your letter is being sent to the right location. Also, make sure the letter writer is aware of any deadlines for the submission of recommendation letters.  It is also OK to politely remind them: “I’m so glad that you agreed to write my letter of recommendation.”
Even if they haven’t written the letter yet, you’ve reminded them that you need the letter and that you appreciate their help. 
As soon as you are sure the letter has been written and mailed, send the teacher a thank you note. This is a must. If you want to be perceived as a mature, responsible person, you must act as one. That teacher did you a tremendous favor. You owe them your thanks, and it should be more than a casually spoken “Thank you.”

As Texas enters the 2011-2012 educational years, the most noticeable change will be in the testing procedures. The old TAKS test will be replaced by a new more strenuous test, the STAAR test. Is the STAAR test more difficult? How will the STAAR test impact our students? These answers will not be answered until after the first test scores are presented to the public. However, the anxiety level among teachers, children, and parents is expected to rise considerably as all face the unknown in the new test. Many parents expect to go beyond the regular classroom to prepare their children for these tests. They realize that tutoring in specific subjects in which their child struggles will be justified. 
One of the most commonly asked questions is: “How will the STAAR assessment program be different from the TAKS assessment program?” The following material is from the website: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=2147487728&libID=2147487727
The most significant changes to the assessment program include :
*    increasing the rigor of both the assessments and the performance standards for all grades, subjects, and courses;
*    changing high school assessments from grade-based to course-based assessments;
*    establishing postsecondary-readiness performance standards for Algebra II and English III; and
*    using empirical validation studies as part of the standard-setting process to ensure that performance standards are linked from grade to grade and are also linked to external evidence of postsecondary readiness. This item was last updated on:  9/1/2011 1:32:01 AM

The second most asked question is: “What are the most significant differences between the STAAR assessment and the TAKS assessment?”
The rigor of items has been increased by assessing skills at a greater depth and level of cognitive complexity. In this way the tests will be better able to measure a greater range of student achievement and establish stronger links to postsecondary readiness.
*    The total number of test items for the STAAR assessments have been increased for most grades, subjects, and courses.
*    A four-hour time limit has been established for STAAR assessments, as opposed to TAKS, which was untimed.
*    STAAR assessments in mathematics and reading will be linked from grade to grade as well as to postsecondary-readiness standards for the Algebra II and English III assessments.
*    STAAR assessments have been designed to focus on "readiness" standards, which are defined as those Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) student expectations that are not only essential for success in the current grade or course but also important for preparedness in the next grade or course. By focusing on the student expectations that are most critical to assess, STAAR will better measure the academic performance of students as they progress from elementary to middle school to high school.
*    STAAR EOC assessments will differ from the current TAKS high school assessments in that each STAAR EOC assessment will cover only the content from a particular course (e.g., Algebra I will assess only Algebra I content) rather than content from multiple courses (e.g., Algebra I and grade 8 mathematics were assessed on the TAKS grade 9 mathematics tests).
*    STAAR writing assessments at grades 4 and 7 will be extended to two days.
*    STAAR EOC assessments for English I, II, and III will be administered over two days, with the writing component on day one and the reading component on day two.
*    The test designs for STAAR grades 4 and 7 writing and STAAR English I, II, and III will require students to write two essays addressing different purposes for writing rather than one longer personal essay, which TAKS required.
*    In reading assessments for STAAR, greater emphasis will be given to critical analysis rather than literal understanding. The test designs for English I, II, and III will allow for the reading and writing components to be equated and scaled separately so that reading and writing scores can be reported separately. This means that a student will need to retake only the portion of the STAAR English I, II, or III assessment (reading or writing) that he or she did not pass.
*    Most STAAR mathematics and science assessments will have an increased number of open-ended (griddable) items to allow students the opportunity to derive an answer independently without being influenced by the answer choices provided with the questions.
*    STAAR grade 3 assessments will have separate answer documents instead of scorable test booklets.  This item was last updated on:  9/1/2011 1:32:01 AM
After reading the information above, you as the parent must understand that you must monitor your child’s progress throughout the school year. If there is an area of apprehension, consider the necessity of a tutor who will give your child one on one teaching with material equipped to help him overcome any learning problems and adjust satisfactorily to this new school year and this new testing system.

"Since 1989, the Texas Higher Education Assessment® (THEA®) has provided Texas students and institutions of higher education with a flexible, fair, and accurate testing and score-reporting system. Its purpose is to assess the reading, mathematics, and writing skills that entering freshman-level students should have if they are to perform effectively in undergraduate certificate or degree programs in Texas public colleges or universities." [THEA] On the surface this looks like a reasonable alternative to the SAT and ACT scores that many universities across the country rely on for college admissions. But, is the THEA obsolete? At least for students applying to Texas public universities the answer is likely a resounding yes!

Read more »