Development of the TASC

Staff from the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Services for the Deaf worked closely with experts in the fields of Deaf education and Signed Language Linguistics to develop the TASC. Many Texas educators, as well as individuals from the Deaf community, participated and provided input during this project through advisory groups and other activities.

The primary content and equity committee providing advice and leadership to the initial exam development effort for the TASC was composed of classroom teachers of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and representatives from universities that prepare teachers in this field.

A pilot of the TASC was completed during early spring in 1997. The primary content and equity committee met in late spring 1997 to review the responses to the pilot test and to determine the level of sign communication proficiency necessary to teach students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing in Texas public schools. This process resulted in a recommendation to SBEC of passing standards for the TASC. SBEC adopted the passing standards for the TASC based upon the committee's recommendations in the fall of 1997.

In 2008, members of the original committee along with representatives from the Regional Day Programs, the Texas School for the Deaf, and TEA again reviewed and accepted the passing standards for the TASC. The current testing structure was also reviewed and approved to remain in place.