STAAR/EOC Information Meeting

What is the STAAR assessment program? The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STAAR The new assessment program that will replace TAKS Also referred to at high school as STAAR/EOC (end of course)

STAAR/EOC Information New requirements begin in the school year High school – EOC (end of course) First-time 9 th grade students only

How will STAAR/EOC be different from TAKS ? The rigor of test items has been increased The total number of test items for the STAAR assessments has been increased for most grades, subjects, and courses Four-hour time limit as opposed to TAKS, which was untimed Each assessment will cover only the content from a particular course rather than content from multiple courses

How will STAAR/EOC be different from TAKS ? English I, II, and III will be administered over two days: Day 1 – writing Day 2 – reading Reading and Writing scores will be reported separately Students will only be required to retake sections they failed Most STAAR mathematics and science assessments will have an increased number of open-ended (griddable) items

A few highlights… Under the new EOC system, students will be required to pass 12 End of Course exams in order to graduate  English - English I, English II, English III** (each English test has 2 parts – Reading & Writing)  Math - Algebra I, Geometry & Algebra II**  Science - Biology, Chemistry & Physics  Social Studies – World Geography, World History & U.S. History

A few highlights… Test scores on each of the required exams will count for 15% of the student's grade in the course Final grade calculation: Semester 1 grade – 42.5% Semester 2 grade – 42.5% STAAR EOC score – 15% Semester grades will be calculated, credit will be awarded and reported on the transcript at end of year

Report Card Course1 st 2 nd 3 rd examsemester English * Algebra I * World Geography * Biology * PE Choir Law Enforcement

How will scores be reported? Level III: Advanced Academic Performance Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance Level I: Unsatisfactory Academic Performance

What do students have to make on each test in order to graduate? A passing score will be determined by TEA Student must achieve a minimum score on an EOC exam for the score to count toward the cumulative score Cumulative score requirement may vary by subject area If a student retests, the highest score is used to determine the cumulative score

If a student passes a course but fails the EOC, can the student still be given credit for the course? No - Students must pass the EOC test to gain credit for a course Students are NOT required to retake the course – only the EOC Students are allowed to retake the EOC as many times as necessary to increase their score and/or gain credit for a course

If a student fails a course but passes the STAAR EOC, is the student required to retest when he or she retakes the course? No - the student is not required to retake the assessment Summer school will be available for courses that a student has not passed

Does the 15% grading requirement apply to GPA and/or class rank? Yes – the first score counts for GPA and/or class rank A STAAR EOC assessment is required to count for 15% of the student’s final grade in the course Students may retake the EOC for a higher score but only the first score will count toward GPA

Does the 15% requirement apply to students who receive credit through dual credit? Yes The student is also required to take the EOC exam for any core class taken through dual credit

How is STAAR EOC related to graduation requirements? Students will be required to pass all assessments – at least Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance A student must achieve pass an assessment for the score to count toward his or her cumulative score A student must also achieve a cumulative score in each core area A student’s cumulative score is determined using his or her highest score on each assessment Cumulative score requirements do not apply to students taking STAAR Modified or STAAR Alternate

Cumulative Scores English Example English 170 English 270 English 370 passed all exams - yes cumulative score – not high enough to graduate

Are there requirements for certain graduation plans? Distinguished Achievement Plan - students must perform satisfactorily on the college readiness component of the Algebra II and English III EOC assessments

For which assessments will make-up testing be available? Yes - for all grades, subjects, and courses Yes - for all administrations, including summer

Where can I go to find more information about the STAAR program? TEA – Texas Education Agency – Student Assessment

Questions?