The Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (TABS) helps to improve basic skills mastery by assessing student achievement and district performance levels in reading, writing and mathematics. TABS was designed to provide information for instructional planning in the state-funded compensatory education service. Minimum competency objectives are to be measured by criterion referenced tests at third, fifth and ninth grade exit levels in each curriculum. Individual student performance is presented through Confidential Student Reports, which the teacher interprets to the student and his or her guardian. Campus and district aggregate performance and demographic summary reports are also available. TABS results should be reported to the Board of Trustees, the staff, and the public. TABS results will be useful to district superintendents, curriculum specialists, principals and teachers. A long-range curriculum planning model is used to illustrate the TABS instructional improvement procedure. A generic scoring guide for writing is appended. (CM)