Bonham High School

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO)- Enhance student learning through contextual instruction, leadership and personal development, applied learning and real-world application.  CTSOs work as an integral component of the classroom curriculum and instruction, building upon empoyability and career skills and concentps through the application and engagement of students in hands-on demonstrations and real life and/or work experiences through a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. CTSO’s help guide students in develoiping a career path, a program of study and provide opportunities in gaining the skills and abilities needed to be successful in those careers through CTSO activities, programs and competitive events. In addition, students have opportunities to hold leadership positions at the local, state, and national level and attend leadership development conferences to network with other students as well as business and industry partnerts. The following CTSOs are currently offered at Bonham High School.

Future Farmers of America (FFA)- A dynamic youth organization that changes lives and prepares members for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Develops members’ potential and helps them discover their talent through hands-on experiences, which give members the tools to achieve real-world success. Members are future chemists, veterinarians, government officials, entrepreneurs, bankers, international business leaders, teachers and premier professionals in many career fields. Bonham ISD holds one of the oldest chapters in the state. To encourage participation in this CTSO, Bonham ISD is a district charter allowing all students enrolled (included 8^th graders) in an Ag class to become active members of the organization.  Contact your Ag teacher if you are interested in participating in the Bonham ISD Chapter. 

State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR)

Students are required to pass five STAAR End of Course (EOC) Exams in the areas of English I, English II, Algebra, Biology, and U.S. History as part of the graduation requirements established by the Texas Education Agency.  Each EOC is taken for the first time at the completion of each course during the spring semester in April and May.  Students who do not pass the EOC the first time they are administered will have multiple opportunities to retest in order to meet graduation requirements. Retests can be taken during testing windows in June, December, April, and May.

Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS)

The TELPAS tests measure the progress that limited English proficient (LEP) students make in learning the English language. In grades 9 -12, the TELPAS tests include online, mulitple choice tests in the areas of reading and listening.  The areas of writing and listening are also assessed online through either written or oral constructed responses.  TELPAS tests are usually administered mid to late March. 

Test Results

Parents can access their child’s STAAR and TELPAS results online at Texas Assessment. A unique access code is required to view the scores. Parents can get the unique access code to view their child’s test scores by clicking the link “Lookup unique access code” in the family portal. You will need your child’s date of birth and social security number to look up their unique access code. Once you have logged into the Family Portal you will be able to see your child’s performance, including how questions were answered and how you can provide additional support at home. 

NWEA MAP TESTING

Bonham High School administers the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth test three times a year to students in English I, English II, Algebra, Geometry, Algebraic Reasoning, and Biology.  The MAP Growth test is administered at the beginning of the year (end of August), toward the end of semester one (December), and again toward the end of the year (late March/early April). The data is used to measure student growth, develop lessons unique to student needs, and target students who may be falling behind. Teachers will also meet with students to discuss the results and help set personal academic goals.

WHAT IS THE MAP GROWTH TEST?

The Measure of Academic Progress or MAP tests are achievement measures in mathematics, reading, and science that are administered online. Unlike fixed-form paper and pencil tests with a set group of items, the MAP tests adjusts to each student’s performance, allowing an appropriate test to be developed for that student. Because of this technology, the MAP testing system is able to accommodate and accurately assess students at a variety of achievement levels.

The MAP assessment is nationally normed every 3 to 4 years (most recently in 2023). This allows for comparison of student scores to the “average” scores of other students in the same grade from a wide variety of schools across the country. This will help serve as a starting point for teachers to reveiw data and gain a better understanding of a child’s current instructional level and allow teachers to develop personalized learning plans.

ASVAB Career Exploration Program

The ASVAB Career Exploration Program (CEP) is a two part program that includes a validated aptitude test and interest assessment sponsored by the Department of Defense with a two part mission: to provide career explorations services to American youth and provide qualified leads to military recruiters. The ASVAB CEP promotes career literacy through personalized career exploration, awareness of career-field entry requirements, and future-oriented planning tools that help students develop an action plan they can share with parents and educations. The ASVAB CEP is about understanding options and offers students a unique opportunity to learn about themselves, whether they’re interested in pursuing post-secondary education, work-based learning, or the Military. 

WHAT IS THE ASVAB?

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is an aptitude test designed to measure developed strengths, skills, and potential for future academic and occupational success. Test results faciliate career planning, regardless of students’ post-secondary plans. It is designed to measure aptitudes in four domains: Verbal, Math, Science and Technical, and Spatial. Scores for these domains are reported as composite scores from the 10 smaller tests in the areas of General Science, Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Mathematics Knowledge, Electronics Information, Auto Information, Shop Information, Mechanical Comprehension, and Assembling Objects. Your scores from Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Artithmetic Reasoning, and Mathematics Knowledge are combined to compute your Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score. The AFQT is used to determine your eligibility for enlistment in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps. Scores on all of the individual ASVAB tests are used to deterime the best job for you in the military. AFQT scores are reported as percentiles between 1 – 99. An AFQT percentile score indicates the percentage of examiness in a reference group who scored at or below that particular score. 

The ASVAB is just one part of the ASVAB CEP. While scores are released to military recruiting, students have no obligation to talk to a military recruiter or enter military service. However, students in 11^th and 12^th grade can use their scores to consider enlistment. 

TSIA2

The Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) is a series of placement tests for students enrolling in public colleges and universities in Texas. The tests help Texas schools determine whether you’re ready for college-level courses in the areas of reading, writing, and math.

The TSI Assessment (TSIA2) is aligned to the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards and offers both placement testing as well as detailed diagnostic profiles of students’ college readiness and/or adult basic education levels. If you’re not ready for college-level courses, the tests help determine what types of courses or intervention will best prepare you for college-level work. 

WHO NEEDS TO TAKE THE TSIA2?

The TSIA2 is required for all 11^th and 12^th grade students who want to take Dual Credit in high school. Students can also choose to take the TSIA2 test to meet CCMR requirements for high school and/or meet college entrance requirements for post-secondary education.  Your TSIA2 scores are valid for up to five years from the time you take the test, so high school students can take the test as early as their sophomore year if they are wanting to meet the CCMR requirements for off-campus lunch or dual credit courses for their 11^th grade year.