1. STAAR Parent Information Night
Alicia Leung (Campus Testing Coordinator)
Marcy Rose-Moehnke (Reading/LA Instructional Coach)
Melanie Zeller (Math/Science Instructional Coach)

2. Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), which are the state standards for what students should know and be able to do

3. For grades 3–8, STAAR tests are in:
3–8 mathematics
3–8 reading
4 and 7 writing
5 and 8 science
8 social studies
STAAR, STAAR Accommodated (online), STAAR ALT 2

4. SSI: Student Success Initiative
Students in 5th grade must perform successfully on STAAR reading and math in order to advance to the next grade level. Students will have two opportunities to pass STAAR reading during the regular school year, and one opportunity during the summer.
SSI Accelerated Instruction Prior to 2nd administration
SSI STAAR summer clinic
Kathi Walker, Shafer’s SSI Coordinator

5. Texas Education Code, Section 26.010. EXEMPTION FROM INSTRUCTION

6. Grade 5 Reading (retest)
STAAR Dates
Tuesday, March 28
Wednesday, March 29
Monday, May 8
Tuesday, May 9
Wednesday, May 10
Grade 4 Writing
Grade 5 Math
Grade 5 Reading
Grade 3 Math
Grade 4 Math
Grade 5 Math (retest)
Grade 3 Reading
Grade 4 Reading
Grade 5 Reading (retest)
Grade 5 Science

7. Updated STAAR Information
Test results may not be available until Mid-June
Parent-Student Portal
State Assessment website
HB 743
STAAR assessments are designed so that 85% of students can be completed in 2 hours (elementary) and 3 hours (junior high).
Time limit for STAAR 3-8 is still 4 hours.

8. How are we preparing students in Math?
Exemplars
Envision
Extension Problem Solvers
Identifying common errors
Focus on multiple strategies
Encourage math conversations and number talks
Small Group Instruction across subject areas
Enrichment Learning Time(ELT)—instruction is based on student needs

9. What STAAR Questions Look Like?

10. 3rd Grade Math
STAAR
Randy and Zack are arguing about their team’s final score. Randy says that he made 12 baskets and earned the team 22 points. Zack says that Randy’s 22 points came from scoring 11 baskets. Which boy is correct, and why?
  A.  Randy is correct because each basket is worth 2 points and 12 × 2 = 22.   B.  Zack is correct because each basket is worth 3 points and 11 × 3 = 22.   C.  Randy is correct because each basket is worth 3 points and 12 × 3 = 22.   D.  Zack is correct because each basket is worth 2 points and 11 × 2 = 22.

11. 4th Grade Math
STAAR The 48 students of Adams Elementary School’s fourth grade class are taking a snack break during their field trip. Each student will receive one cup of apple juice on break. How many gallons of juice will be needed so that each student can drink one cup? F. 3 gallons G. 6 gallons H. 12 gallons J. 16 gallons

12. 5th Grade Math
STAAR Mr. Bundy wants to buy enough cat food to feed his cat for 60 days. His cat eats 100 grams of food 3 times a day. How many kilograms of cat food should he buy? F. 1.8 kilograms G. 6 kilograms H. 18 kilograms J. 60 kilograms

13. Reading and Writing
Grades 3,4 and 5 reading tests are comprised of multiple passages from various genres such as fiction ,non-fiction, folktales, procedural text and poetry. 4th and 5th may also see drama (plays), persuasive text, and biography /autobiography. In 4th and 5th, 2-3 passages of different genres can be compared to each other.
4th grade writing STAAR is comprised of two parts. There is a revise and edit section (multiple choice) and an expository essay where the student is given a prompt, asked to plan, prewrite, revise and then complete a final essay within the given amount of lines.

14. How are we preparing students in Language Arts?
Exemplars in writing
Small Group Instruction that focuses on the structure and development of expository writing
Small Group Instruction that focuses on revising and editing based on student need
Identifying common errors
Focus on strategies when reading articles and passages
Read Alouds that require deep thinking about characters, theme and conflict across multiple genres.
Stamina Stacks to build schema and fortitude.
Enrichment Learning Time(ELT)—instruction is based on student needs

15. What STAAR Questions Look Like?

16. Context clues STAAR- like example grade 3 poem
Read line 14 from the poem.
Another bird joined, their song now a duet,
What does the word duet mean?
  A.  Whistle and chirp   B.  A song sung by two
  C.  A  bird flying in the air
D.  Flat and unpleasant sounding
STAAR- like example grade 4 drama
In line 25 of the play, Peter says that Hilda may be running out of steam. Peter means that Hilda seems to be-
  A.  passing Gretel   B.  winning the race   C.  losing her energy   D.  tripping on the ice
STAAR-like example grade 5 fiction
In paragraph 6 of the passage, the word proximity relates to –
A.  behavior
  B.  danger
  C.  friendship
  D.  location

17. Non-fiction Text Features
STAAR-like example grade 3
Based on the caption for Figure 2, the reader can tell that “Newcomen” is-
 A.  a certain type of steam engine  
B.  the place the steam engine was built
  C.  the name of the company that built the steam engine
  D.  the name of the railroad company that ran the first steam engine.
STAAR-like example grade 4
Look at the information in the “Ingredients and Materials” section of the passage.
A person who makes cake-batter fudge will need-
 A.  cooking oil
B.  two mixing bowls
  C.  several large spoons
  D.  a set of measuring cups
STAAR-like example grade 5
Based on information in the timeline, what event caused Carnegie and his family to flee Scotland?
  A.  Union Army drafts  
B.  Beginning of World War I
  C.  Formation of the Carnegie Steel Company
  D.  Founding of the Keystone telegraph Company

18. Summary STAAR-like example grade 3 fable
Which is the best summary of the story?
 A.  The Hare makes fun of the Tortoise for challenging him to a race. But he agrees to race him, and a route is decided upon. The Hare decides to take a nap near a barn.
B. The tortoise plans a race with the Hare. The Tortoise walks slowly and steadily down a path until he sees the Hare sleeping. He continues on his way without waking the Hare.
  C.  After bragging about his speed to his friends, the Hare agrees to race the tortoise. When they start out, the Hare is in the lead. But as the Hare naps, the Tortoise gains the lead and wins the race.
  D.  The Hare brags to other animals that no one could ever beat him in a race. The Tortoise quietly challenges the Hare. The Hare thinks the Tortoise is joking and tells him he could dance around him to the finish line.

19. Summary STAAR-like example grade 4 poem
And butterflies with gauzy wings;
And herds of cows and flocks of sheep;
According to the poem, butterflies, cows, and sheep are things a person-
 A.  likes to draw
B.  fears the most
  C.  sees in dreams
  D.  has never seen
STAAR-like example grade 5-fiction
Which sentence provides the best summary of the story?
  A.  A student’s brother and friend help him complete an assignment.
B.  Two students disagree about how to work on a school assignment.
  C.  A student skips a school assignment because he doesn’t understand it.
  D.  Some unusual events at home show the importance of a school assignment.

20. Strategy Example

21. STAAR Testing at FPSE

22. STAAR Testing at FPSE 8:30: pick up for small groups
8:40: tests are handed out
9:00: testing begins
4 hours to test
Clock stops for lunch, medical breaks, emergencies
Make Up Testing Days
Answer Document
Booklets
Mathematics chart
Graph paper
Test Administrator
Bathroom Monitor
No Specials
Recess at the end of the day
Snack & Water Bottle while Testing

23. Helpful Tips for STAAR Testing Days
Before Testing Days
Visualization: have a conversation with your child about what the day will look like
Get a good night's sleep.
Self-Talk: give your child a few phrases that can motivate him/her "I just need to do my best!" "I can do it." "Stay cool."
Answer any fears or questions your child might have
Prepare your child’s snacks, pencils, clothes, etc. the night before
Test Anxiety Groups
On STAAR Testing Day
Eat a good, healthy breakfast
Do a relaxing activities like taking deep breaths, tensing muscles and then relaxing them, talking about something unrelated to STAAR
Arrive early or on-time to school
Wear layers so your child is comfortable in any temperature
Remain calm and positive

24. Technology Tip Istation App for Reading and Writing- Free
Education Galaxy-each grade each subject $2.99
Ready Set STAAR- Science-Free
Greg Tang Math—great website for extending learning through fun and innovative activities
Think Through Math—completely aligned to state standards and provides students with materials at their level based on pre-assessment data within the program
Reflex Math---provides a fun way for students to freshen up on their math fact fluency