Committee reviews annual audits from Texas Tech ISD and UT Austin for credit‑by‑examination programs
Summary
TEA staff presented annual audit reports from two state‑approved credit‑by‑examination providers — Texas Tech University ISD and UT Online High School (UT Austin) — verifying alignment to TEKS and noting provider remediation responsibilities.
TEA staff presented the committee with annual audit reports from the two state‑approved credit‑by‑examination (CBE) providers — Texas Tech University ISD and UT Online High School — as required by 19 TAC rules for CBE programs.
Under rules for credit by examination, providers must audit roughly 20% of the exams they offer each year so every exam is reviewed within a five‑year cycle. TEA staff said Texas Tech audited 26 exams spanning elementary, middle and high school science and social studies subjects and provided auditor statements that identified where specific TEKS were not addressed; the provider certified that it addressed any gaps. UT Austin’s provider audited 21 exams including K–8 science and several high‑school social studies and foreign language exams and provided similar findings and provider‑certified remediation.
Committee members asked how TEA uses audit findings. Staff said providers are required to revise exams that do not cover cited TEKS and to certify completion of those revisions; the audit cycle verifies compliance and alignment. Members also asked about elementary exams (for grade acceleration) and TEA staff explained the exams permit students to accelerate a grade level when they demonstrate proficiency in the TEKS for that subject area.
Why it matters: credit‑by‑examination allows students to earn grade advancement or course credit by demonstrating knowledge aligned to state‑adopted TEKS; annual audits are the compliance mechanism that ensures exams match the standards they purport to cover.
Supporting details: staff noted some audit entries flagged specific items (for example, an auditor noted a magnet question was not covered by a first‑grade TEKS); TEA requires providers to correct such misalignments and certify the corrections in their audit letter to TEA. The committee received the audit letters and asked staff to verify that all reports include required auditor signatures.
