The third-grade Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System and the third-grade Spanish reading Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills

The first purpose of this study was to examine the level of interdependence and reciprocity of the first and second language in students who were identified as limited English speakers and whose first language was Spanish. The second purpose was to identify the passing and commended rates of students within the specific bilingual programs that were reported to the Texas Education Agency.;A quantitative, nonexperimental research design was used for this study. A descriptive, longitudinal research method was chosen as the study encompassed a three-year period of data.;The participants for this study were bilingual students enrolled in Texas public schools who took both the third-grade standard version Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS-K) in Spanish. The participants must have participated in all four components of the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System in 2009, 2010, and 2011.;The Pearson's chi-square test was utilized to examine the relationship between Spanish TAKS-K achievement, English language proficiency, and the performance within the individual bilingual programs.;The three years of data revealed that students with the TELPAS composite rating of beginner reported the lowest percentage that met the passing standard, followed by intermediate proficiency level. Advanced and advanced high's passing rates were higher than 90%. A similar pattern was observed among the TELPAS proficiency levels and percent commended on the Spanish TAKS-K. The findings concurred with Krashen and Cummins' theories of interdependence between first and second language.;The bilingual programs investigated were (a) Transitional Bilingual/Early Exit; (b) Transitional Bilingual/Late Exit; (c) Dual Immersion/Two-Way; and (d) Dual Immersion/ One-Way. The Dual Language Immersion/One-Way program reported the largest membership and the highest percentage of meeting the passing standard or achieving commended performance.;KEY WORDS: Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS), Spanish, Reading, Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), Bilingual Programs, English Language Learners (ELL), Limited English Proficient (LEP).