STAAR will begin for new ninth-graders in 2011-2012 with 15 end-of-course (EOC) exams:
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The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) starting in the 2011-2012 school year. New ninth-grade students entering high school in 2011-2012 and beyond will fall under the STAAR testing system and graduation requirements. Current high school students who entered prior to 2011-2012 will remain under the TAKS system and their existing graduation requirements.
The most significant difference between the TAKS and STAAR testing systems will be seen at the high school level. Under the TAKS system, high school students have to pass only four exit-level tests to graduate, which do not count toward their course grades. Under STAAR, first time high school freshmen in 2011-2012 and thereafter will be required to take 11 to 15 end-of-course (EOC) assessments in the foundation subject areas – math, science, English and social studies. State law requires that 15 percent of the student’s EOC exam score count toward his/her final grade for the course. However, the Commissioner of Education Michael L. Williams recently announced that he will defer implementation of the 15 percent grading requirement for the 2012-2013 school year. As a result, NEISD will postpone the 15 percent requirement. EOC performance will not influence the final course grade or credit. The state also allowed districts to postpone the requirement in 2011-2012. If and when the 15 percent requirement resumes, NEISD will implement it.
Please use the table of contents below to better familiarize yourself with this complex system and prepare your high school student(s) for academic success. Several videos have also been created to illustrate key information about STAAR.
Source: Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division, December 2010
The STAAR end-of-course (EOC) tests focus on the content for a specific course compared to TAKS tests that covered general subject knowledge by grade level. STAAR includes 15 EOC assessments for the following foundation subjects (math, science, English and social studies) at the high school level:
| MATH | SCIENCE | ENGLISH* | SOCIAL STUDIES |
| Algebra I | Biology | English I | World Geography |
| Geometry | Chemistry | English II | World History |
| Algebra II | Physics | English III | U.S. History |
* English EOCs include separate Reading and Writing components |
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Students not enrolled in a class would not be required to take the EOC exam for that course. Students will initially take the STAAR tests listed above during the spring semester of enrollment in the class. For students who fail to reach Level II performance, numerous retesting opportunities will also be offered.
State law requires that 15 percent of the student’s EOC exam score count toward his/her final grade for the course. However, the Commissioner of Education Michael L. Williams recently announced that he will defer implementation of the 15 percent grading requirement for the 2012-2013 school year. As a result, NEISD will postpone the 15 percent requirement. EOC performance will not influence the final course grade or credit. The state also allowed districts to postpone the requirement in 2011-2012. If and when the 15 percent requirement resumes, NEISD will implement it. Additionally, students must meet a cumulative score target in each foundation subject area-math, science, English and social studies.(More specific information on graduation requirements appears below.)
STAAR includes more difficult testing and requires a higher level of student performance than TAKS required. There is also a four-hour time limit for the STAAR EOC assessments. The English I, II, and III tests cover both writing and reading over two days. These English EOCs require students to write more essays and place greater emphasis on critical analysis of reading passages rather than literal understanding. For English I, students write literary and expository compositions. For English II, students write expository and persuasive compositions. For English III, students write persuasive and analytical compositions.
On two of the science EOCs and all of the mathematics EOCs, STAAR includes a type of open-ended question known as a griddable item. The purpose of griddable items is to allow students to develop answers independently without being influenced by answer choices provided with the questions (commonly known as multiple-choice). The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has provided furthur explanation about griddable items at www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/.
Illustrations of the test design for the English I, II and III exams and scoring rubrics for English I are available at www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/. Reference materials for Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Chemistry and Physics are also available at www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/.
With the increase in the number of assessments students will be taking, more testing days at the high school level will be necessary. STAAR EOC assessments will require up to 45 testing days when fully implemented, compared with 25 testing days for TAKS.
For the general STAAR assessments, STAAR Modified, and linguistically accommodated forms of STAAR, the labels for the performance categories are
Level I: Unsatisfactory Academic Performance |
Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance |
Level III: Advanced Academic Performance* |
Performance in this category indicates that students are inadequately prepared for the next grade or course. They do not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the assessed knowledge and skills. Students in this category are unlikely to succeed in the next grade or course without significant, ongoing academic intervention. |
Performance in this category indicates that students are sufficiently prepared for the next grade or course. They generally demonstrate the ability to think critically and apply the assessed knowledge and skills in familiar contexts. Students in this category have a reasonable likelihood of success in the next grade or course but may need short-term, targeted academic intervention. |
Performance in this category indicates that students are well prepared for the next grade or course. They demonstrate the ability to think critically and apply the assessed knowledge and skills in varied contexts, both familiar and unfamiliar. Students in this category have a high likelihood of success in the next grade or course with little or no academic intervention. *For Algebra II and English III, this level of performance also indicates students’ postsecondary readiness. |
TEA has set the EOC performance standards, which will increase over time. The phase-in standard for each student will depend on when he/she takes the first EOC exam in a content area. Read more by clicking here or review a chart with the scale scores for each EOC phase-in.
Satisfactory Academic Performance on the EOCs will be considered passing. There are also EOC minimum scores set below but within a reasonable range of the passing performance. A student must achieve a minimum score or higher on an EOC assessment for the test to be counted. If a student does not reach Level II performance, the student will be automatically enrolled to retake the assessment. Depending on a student's graduation program, he or she must also earn Level II or III performance in English III and Algebra II. North East ISD has developed a chart for each EOC exam, which provides guidance on whether a retake is required based on a student’s test performance and graduation plan. Review the district’s recommendations here.
The EOC assessment scores will be used to calculate a cumulative score in each of four foundation subject areas - math, science, English and social studies. The specific cumulative score target for each student will vary depending upon the student’s graduation plan and when he/she takes the first EOC exam in a content area. For example, many students who take their first math STAAR EOC assessment in 2012 or 2013 will have a cumulative score requirement of 10500 for mathematics based on the phase-in Level II performance standard of 3500 for each math EOC (3500 + 3500 + 3500 = 10500).
If a student barely passes an EOC exam, parents and students should strongly consider retaking the EOC exam since a very good score on one test can help with a lower score on another when calculating a student’s cumulative score.
With the implementation of the STAAR testing system, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has significantly increased the requirements for high school graduation under each of the three graduation plans – Minimum, Recommended and Distinguished. Depending on their graduation program, students will be required to meet the passing standard (Level II) or at least achieve a predetermined minimum score on 11 to 15 STAAR EOC assessments. NEISD students must successfully complete the district’s high school credit requirements and meet specified STAAR performance criteria to graduate.
A cumulative score in each of the four core content areas – math, science, English and social studies – will impact a student’s eligibility for graduation. A student is required to achieve a cumulative score that is at least as high as his/her cumulative score target. The specific cumulative score target for each student will vary depending upon the student’s graduation plan and when he/she takes their first EOC exams in each content area.
The cumulative score target is calculated by multiplying the scale score for Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance that is in effect for the student (phase-in 1, phase-in 2, or recommended) by the number of tests he/she is required to take in each content area. For example, many students who take their first math STAAR EOC assessment in 2012 or 2013 will have a cumulative score requirement of 10500 for mathematics based on the Level II performance standard of 3500 for each math EOC (3500 + 3500 + 3500 = 10500).
A student must achieve a score that is at least as high as the minimum score in order for his/her score to count in the cumulative score. However, only achieving a minimum score on each EOC required for graduation will not meet the cumulative score requirement. View TEA’s STAAR cumulative score requirements here.
In addition to meeting the cumulative score requirement in each of four core content areas, students will have to meet a specified performance level on the Algebra II assessment and English III assessment to graduate under the Recognized and Distinguished graduation plans. (Please note that the default program for all NEISD students is the Recommended plan. Any student considering graduation on the Minimum program must see a counselor for further information.)
Please also visit NEISD graduation requirements to view
The STAAR graduation criteria is further explained with examples in Graduation Step by Step.
STAAR Step 1: Obtain a cumulative passing score or higher (All graduation plans)
High school students will earn four cumulative scores -- math, science, English and social studies -- based on their performance on each individual EOC exam. A student’s cumulative score is determined using the student’s highest score on each EOC assessment. The specific cumulative score target for each student will vary depending upon the student’s graduation plan and when he/she takes the first EOC exam in each content area. View TEA’s STAAR cumulative score requirements here.
To graduate, a student must achieve a cumulative score in each content area equal or greater than the TEA passing standard multiplied by the number of assessments taken. (cumulative score ≥ Level II scale score x number of assessments taken)
Example 1a:
If the Level II passing standard on each of the three math EOC assessments is at 3500, then a student on the Recommended High School Program will need a cumulative score for math ≥ 10500 (3500 x 3 = 10500).
For a single EOC score to count toward the student’s cumulative score, a minimum score must be achieved. However, achieving only the minimum score on the EOC assessments will not meet the cumulative passing standard.
Example 1b:
The Level II passing standard on each of the three math EOC assessments is set at 3500, so the student’s cumulative score must be equal or greater than 10500. However, the minimum score on the three math EOC assessments is set at: 3371 for Algebra I, 3362 for Geometry and 3350 for Algebra II.
If a student obtains the minimum score on all three math exams, he/she will not me the cumulative score requirement of 10500 (3371 + 3362 + 3350 =10083). Since 10083 does not meet the cumulative score requirement of 10500, the student must retake one or more tests to meet the cumulative score target.
North East ISD has developed a chart for each EOC exam, which provides guidance on whether a retake is required based on a student’s test performance and graduation plan. Review the district’s recommendations here.
STAAR Step 2: Pass the Algebra II and English III EOC (Recommended High School Program)
In addition to achieving Step 1, students will have to achieve Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance on the Algebra II EOC and English III EOC to graduate on the Recommended High School Program. This passing score represents a higher level of performance than the minimum score.
STAAR Step 3 (Optional): Perform satisfactorily on the postsecondary-readiness components of Algebra II and English III (Distinguished Achievement Program)
The Algebra II and English III EOC assessments will include a performance standard that indicates postsecondary-readiness, referred to as Level III: Advanced Academic Performance. TEA will establish the performance requirements for postsecondary-readiness that those students on the Distinguished Achievement Program will be required to meet. If a student does not perform satisfactorily on the postsecondary-readiness component of the EOC assessments for Algebra II or English III, the student may retake the assessment.
What if my student passes the course but fails the corresponding STAAR EOC assessment?
A student will not be required to retake a course as a condition of retaking the EOC assessment for that course. Districts will be required to provide accelerated instruction to any student who fails a STAAR assessment. Students who pass a course but fail the assessment for that course may require additional instruction in that course even after they are no longer enrolled. Multiple retest opportunities will be provided to students.
What if my student has already earned credit for a course with a corresponding EOC exam? Does he/she need to take the EOC?
For middle school students who take a high school course (e.g., Algebra I) prior to spring 2012 or students new to Texas public schools (e.g., from out-of-state, out-of-country, or private schools) who have earned credit for a high school course that has an EOC assessment associated with it, TEA is considering several options:
Please note, STAAR testing system and graduation requirements will apply to new ninth-grade students entering high school in 2011-2012 and beyond.
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