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. STAAR will include assessments in the following grades and subjects at the middle school level:

 

6th – Mathematics and Reading

7th – Mathematics, Reading and Writing

8th – Mathematics, Reading, Social Studies and Science

What’s different about STAAR™?

STAAR will include more difficult testing and require a higher level of student performance. Assessments will increase in length at most grades and subjects. There will also be a four-hour time limit for the STAAR grades 3–8 assessments and the STAAR EOC assessments.

 

For reading, greater emphasis will be placed on critical analysis of passages rather than literal understanding. The 7th grade writing test will include three compositions: personal narrative that has a clearly defined focus and communicates the importance of or reasons for actions and/or consequences and multi-paragraph essay to convey information about a topic (also referred to as expository). (More information about the writing test can be found in the related video on the right.)

 

On the science and mathematics tests, STAAR will include 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). Most science and mathematics assessments will include three to five griddable items. Illustrations of the test design for grades 3-8 and further explanation about griddable items are available at www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/.

 

Performance standards for STAAR at grades 3–8 will be set in fall 2012, after the first spring administration of STAAR.

How does STAAR™ affect middle school students enrolled in a high-school level course (e.g. Algebra I)?
Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, middle school students enrolled in high school-level courses will be required to take the corresponding end-of-course (EOC) assessment. While state law requires that 15 percent of the student’s EOC exam score count toward his/her final grade for the course, the Commissioner of Education Robert Scott recently allowed school districts to defer the 15 percent grading requirement for the 2011-2012 school year. It is important to note that the EOC cumulative score requirements for graduation are still in place, beginning with tests taken during 2011-2012.(Please visit the high school section for more information about EOC assessments and their impact on high school graduation.)

 

Based on testing and accountability information provided by the Texas Education Agency, students in North East Independent School District who are currently taking Algebra I or Geometry in middle school will take both the grade level Mathematics STAAR and the Algebra I or Geometry EOC. In addition to using the assessment results for state and federal accountability, the results will be used to provide recommendations for high school placement.

 

Middle school students who completed a high school level course prior to Spring 2012, such as a seventh-grader who took Algebra I during 2010-2011, would not be required to take the corresponding EOC assessment. If the student decides to take the EOC, the score would only be counted in the overall cumulative score for that subject area if it benefits the student.

 

How does STAAR™ affect promotion to the next grade level?
For the 2011-2012 school year only, the Student Success Initiative (SSI) promotion requirements for grades 5 and 8 will not include STAAR results. Students will be assessed for promotion to the next grade by other academic information, such as grades and teacher recommendations. This transition between the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years is necessary since performance standards for STAAR at grades 3-8 will not be set until fall 2012. Grade promotion for grades 4, 6 and 7 is not tied to passing STAAR.

 

Districts will be required to provide remediation to any student who fails a STAAR assessment, whether in grades 3-8 or high school.

 

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