STAAR TEST

Class of 2015 and beyond

What is STAAR?

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) is the new state assessment for students in grades 3-12.

It is replacing the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills

(TAKS).

How is it different from TAKS?

• STAAR will test content students studied that year, as opposed to testing content studied in multiple years.

• Scores will affect graduation plans.

• STAAR EOC’s (End of Course Exams) will test the following courses:– English I, II, III– Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II– Biology, Chemistry, Physics– World Geography, World History, US History

Who is impacted?

The Class of 2015 and beyond

Scoring of STAAR

The state has established three performance levels:

• Minimum• Passing Standard• College Readiness

The state has not yet announced the scores that correspond with the three performance levels – expected in February

Graduation

In order to graduate, students will be required to have satisfactory performance on all STAAR EOC

tests and have a minimum cumulative total in the four core areas of English Language Arts (ELA), Math, Science and Social

Studies.

Scoring

Students must reach at least the minimum score

For each subject, adding the score for all three tests must be equal to or greater

than the passing standard times the number of tests.

NOT PASSING PASSING STANDARD COLLEGE READINESS

MIN

IMU

M S

CO

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Examples

For example, if the minimum score is 900 and 1000 was determined as the passing standard, a student would have to get a

total score of 3000 to meet the Total Score Requirement for Math.

Math EOC Score

Algebra I 900

Geometry 1100

Algebra II 1000

TOTAL 3000

Examples

However, they must meet the minimum score regardless of their

total score. In this example the student would not have met the Total

Score Requirement for Math. Math EOC Score

Algebra I 800

Geometry 1200

Algebra II 1000

TOTAL 3000

Additional Passing Standards

• Recommended Graduation Plan:– Total Score Requirement for all 12 EOC exams– Passing Standard for Algebra II & English III

• Distinguished Graduation Plan:– Total Score Requirement for all 12 EOC exams– College Readiness Standard for Algebra II &

English III

• Minimum Graduation Plan:– Total Score Requirement for each subject taken (8

to 12 tests)– Algebra II, Chemistry, and Physics are NOT

required unless the student takes the course

Retesting

Students will be allowed to retest any EOC exam

regardless of whether they have passed or not.

Only the highest score will be used.

STAAR & Semester Grades

The state requires that the STAAR EOC score account for 15% of a student’s final grade

in the course.

If a student retests but is not currently in the course the

test will not be averaged into any grade.

ALGEBRA I – 8TH Grade (2011)

TEA is considering the following:• Students would not be required to take

that particular EOC assessment. Their cumulative score for that content area would decrease.

• Students could choose to take that particular EOC assessment. If they take the assessment, the score they receive would only be used in their cumulative score if it benefited the student.

Special Education Students

• TEA is eliminating the separate accommodated form and building in specific accommodations

• STAAR Modified and STAAR Alternate will be options for most courses, but not all higher level courses

• All students taking modified or alternative courses will be on the Minimum Graduation Plan

TEA – In Development• Scores needed to pass STAAR

• Retesting schedules and guidelines

• How final grades will be calculated given the state requirement that 15% of each student’s final grade be determined by their STAAR EOC score

• Specifics regarding special education modifications

• Other testing (PSAT, PLAN, SAT, ACT, AP) be used in place of EOC requirements

Challenges are what make life interesting;

overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

~ Joshua J. Marine