Credit by Exam (CBE) Frequently Asked Questions Grades 1-12

Katy ISD continues to abide by guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).  Katy ISD is committed to provide updates to families who have students participating in the summer Credit By Exam (CBE) administration. The goal of this document is to provide families and students with the latest updates.  Parents may contact their child’s counselor if they have any questions before the end of the school year and Lori Sandberg at lorilsandberg@katyisd.org during the summer.   

General CBE Questions

Do I need to order anything from UT or Avant?

No. The test has already been processed and paid through Katy ISD.

What if I do not want my child to take the exam?

Simply do not come to the testing location. You do not need to notify Katy ISD of the decision. Do keep in mind, future opportunities will not be available until the next window and if making the decision after the application deadline, there is a cost to the district that cannot be refunded.  It is best to consider carefully which windows to test prior to applying to avoid undue losses.  Summer cancellations would push the next testing opportunity to November of the 2023-2024 school year and acceleration to the next grade level would not occur until the 2024-2025 school year.

How do I know when and where my child will take the exam?  

Kindergarten, November and February exams are taken at the campus the student attends and are arranged by the counselor or CBE coordinator on the campus.  Summer exams are held at a high school location listed on the yearly calendar with each day scheduled after the exam order deadlines have passed.  If an exam is split over two different sessions, it will be divided by campus your child attends. 

I need to update my email address with the campus. What do I do?

Parents/legal guardians will need to contact the home campus for guidance.

I've missed the deadlines. Can I pay for the exam and go directly to UTHS or Avant?

KatyISD accepts grades only from examinations proctored through us, or as accepted on an accredited school transcript.  

How long do I have to test and when must all tests be completed?

Each test has a 3-hour time limit and is administered in one setting. Once the assessment has started, it must be completed within 3 hours. Deadlines dates are by the end of each published window. Very limited reschedules within the week of testing may be available for extenuating circumstances only. Please plan other activities accordingly.   The vendors may indicate different expiration dates on their tests for their purposes, but KatyISD deadlines should be followed to ensure credit.  

How many times can students access their online exam?

Once. They may access the pre-exam preparation modules as many times as needed before they begin the actual exam.

How does my student request a retest?

During the school year, please contact your campus counselor about retest opportunities.  Be advised that state law prohibits retesting a subject more than once for that grade level. 

Retests will be offered automatically on all examinations taken in June for those who receive a score of 78 or 79 if scores are received prior to the end of the June testing window.  As deadlines for applying for summer examinations have already passed prior to the June window, no additional applications for retests are accepted in the summer cycles. 

Are accommodations allowable?

​​Each vendor approves testing accommodations on a case by case basis at the time of order.  Please be advised that not all classroom instructional accommodations are appropriate for a testing environment.  Please see your campus counselor for further information.  Grades 1 and 2 examinations are authorized for the proctor to read parts of the exam questions by the students' request and to assist with transcribing automatically as necessary.  

Preparation and Accessing the CBE Exams Through UT High School

Will students be able to prepare prior to taking their exam?

•  Students can access the course study guides on the UTHS website.

• Please be advised that some courses have additional assignments prior to taking the exam.  Many secondary ELA exams have a required novel to read to be prepared for the exam. You will find this information within the study guide. 

Reference Materials Questions

Will students be allowed to use their required materials, reference materials, and scratch paper?

For academic assessments, any formula charts, periodic tables, or scratch paper required are provided within the exam. Printed copies will be provided.  

May a student use a calculator on the test?

Yes, but only during certain times.  N'Spire calculators will be provided at the testing site for all 8th grade and above math exams as well as science exams where calculators are allowable.  Please thoroughly review the UTHS calculator policy here: Calculator Policy

May I use a dictionary on the test?

No dictionaries are allowed on the examinations.  

​May I bring a snack and water into the testing room?

​​A light snack such as crackers and water are allowable.  For those students who have a first and second semester exam in two parts the student may elect to take both concurrently without a break for lunch.  If a lunch break is desired, then the student will need to wait until the afternoon session to begin the second exam.  

How will I be notified of information about the exam?

You should receive information about testing windows or dates as well as where to access study guide information and what vendor is being utilized for the exam through the campus your child attends.  No mailing comes from the office of Research, Assessment and Accountability.  UTHS also sends out an email to the one provided at the time of order with information about the exam.  Please be aware that while it is possible to go into the UTHS canvas account to complete the pre-activities, do not change any passwords.  This will cause difficulties accessing the exam on site when a proctor is present.  Also, please be aware that notifications may come about grades to the email during the exam, but it is just an indication that the exam has started.  

Many questions can also be answered on the district webpages for CBE including this FAQ.  

Avant STAMP 4S Foreign Language Additional Questions

What is Avant STAMP 4S?

Avant STAMP stands for Standards-Based Measurement of Proficiency and is a web-based test that assesses language proficiency. Avant STAMP 4S measures a test taker’s language ability according to Benchmark Levels that are based on national standards. Test results will indicate the level of proficiency achieved for each section of the test.

How many sections will the Avant STAMP exam administer online?

An Avant STAMP 4S test has four sections – Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, and the results of this test inform test takers and educators about learning progress and program effectiveness. Avant STAMP 4S test items are based on real world, everyday situations.

What are the rules when taking the AVANT STAMP 4S Exam?

• No paper, pens, pencils, cell phones, etc. are allowed in the testing area.

• No additional applications (e.g., Word, email, chat) or browser windows can be open during testing

• Avant graders review all written and spoken responses and any inappropriate responses (vulgar, violent, etc.) will not be scored and will be reported to your test administrator.

• No food or drink is allowed.

For additional guidance, parents and students are advised to visit the following website:

https://avantassessment.com/remote-testing/stamp-4s-remote-test-taker-guide