Monitoring Student Progress in Reading
In Grades 1 to 9, student progress is evaluated twice in each grade, and parents are sent a report card at the end of each semester. Some schools have a schoolwide examination for each subject at each grade level, but the classroom teacher is responsible for evaluating students.
In 2004, the Ministry of Education launched the Taiwan Assessment of Student Achievement (TASA) program to determine whether the education goals outlined in the General Guidelines of Grade 1–9 Curriculum have been met. TASA is a nationwide assessment taken by students in Grades 4, 6, 8, and 11. The subjects tested include Chinese, mathematics, science, social studies, and English. All participating students are required to complete questionnaires regarding their personal and family backgrounds. The Ministry of Education plans to use TASA results to create a database for the study of Taiwanese students’ progress and the education system. In addition, many regional governments have created remedial programs for low achievers (Percentile Rank <35 in the class) in Chinese and mathematics to ensure that basic skills are learned by every student.