2. Update on the State Testing Program November 14, 2011

3. State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness Grades 3 - 8 2 o Grades 3–8 mathematics o Grades 3–8 reading o Grades 4 and 7 writing o Grades 5 and 8 science o Grade 8 social studies

4. Twelve STAAR End-of-Course Exams 3 EnglishMathScienceSocial Studies English IAlgebra IBiology World Geography English IIGeometryChemistryWorld History English IIIAlgebra IIPhysicsU.S. History

5. STAAR End-of-Course Exams 4 Phase out of TAKS: In Spring 2012, students in 10 th and 11 th grade will participate in TAKS. In Spring 2013, the last group of 11 th grade students will participate in TAKS. Phase in of End-of-Course exams: Beginning in Spring 2012, end-of-course exams will be administered to first-time 9 th grade students. Middle school students taking Algebra, Geometry or Algebra II will take the end-of- course exam associated with the course.

6. History of Testing in Texas Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (TABS) 1980-1985 Assessed basic skills in math, reading, and writing. Administered to students in grades 3, 5, & 9. No diploma denial for failing TABS at grade 9. No state-mandated remedial support for failing students. No state-mandated curriculum on which to base assessment.

7. Grade 3 TABS Item (1981)

9. History of Testing in Texas 1986–1990 Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS) 1990–2002 Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) 2003–Present Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)

10. History of Testing in Texas State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) 2012 and Beyond Measure a broader range of achievement with standards vertically aligned across grades. Focus on educating students to a postsecondary readiness standard and ensuring that the state assessment program is designed to measure postsecondary readiness.

11. Sample STAAR Grade 3 Math Item

12. Sample Algebra II End Of Course Item (2012)

13. TAKS to STAAR 12 Plan for phase-out of TAKS and phase-in of STAAR 2010–20112011–20122012–20132013–20142014–20152015–2016 GR 3–8TAKS STAAR GR 9TAKS STAAR GR 10TAKS STAAR GR 11TAKS STAAR GR 12 & Out-of-School Students TAKS STAAR or TAKS STAAR or TAKS

14. End-of-Course Exams Who Must Participate? Any student enrolled in grades 3-9* who is enrolled in and completing a high school course that has a related assessment, including o Students who are earning credit through Correspondence courses Dual credit courses AP/IB courses Credit by Exam * First enrolled in grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year.

15. STAAR Graduation Requirements 14 Freshman class of 2011–2012 is first group to have EOC assessments as part of their graduation requirement.

16. STAAR Graduation Requirements 15 A student must achieve a state-determined cumulative score for each area (English, math, science, and social studies). The cumulative score shall be greater than or equal to the product of the number of EOC assessments taken in that content area and a scale score that indicates satisfactory performance. For each of the four core content areas, the cumulative score ≥ n x passing scale score, where n = number of assessments taken.

17. 16 MINIMUM SCORE In addition to meeting cumulative score requirements, a student must achieve a minimum score on each end of course exam for the score to count towards the student’s cumulative score. Minimum scores are determined by Texas Commissioner of Education. STAAR Graduation Requirements

18. 17 Let’s say that the cumulative score for science is 3000 points. [3 tests (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) at 1000 points each] In addition, the minimum scale score on each of the 3 science EOC assessments happens to be 900. A student must score at least 900 on each of the 3 science EOC assessments. Scoring 900 on each of the 3 science EOC assessments will not meet the cumulative score requirement of 3000.

19. STAAR Graduation Requirements 18 A student scores o 1200 on Biology o 800 on Chemistry o 1100 on Physics 800 does not meet the minimum score requirement of 900. It cannot be used towards the cumulative score. The student’s cumulative score is 2300, which does not meet the cumulative score requirement of 3000. The student must retest in chemistry.

20. STAAR Graduation Requirements 19 A student scores o 950 on Biology o 1000 on Chemistry o 900 on Physics The student’s cumulative score is 2850. 2850 does not meet the cumulative score requirement of 3000; therefore the student must retest. The student can retest in one or more subjects.

21. STAAR Graduation Requirements 20 o Texas students graduate on one of three plans 1.Minimum High School Program 2.Recommended High School Program 3.Distinguished Achievement Program o State testing requirements differ by graduation program.

22. STAAR Graduation Requirements: Minimum High School Program 21 Cumulative score is based on the number of courses taken for which an EOC assessment exists. Cumulative score requirement may vary by subject area from 1 to 3 required assessments. o 3 for English language arts (English I, English II, English III) o 2* for mathematics (Algebra I, Geometry) o 1* for science (Biology) o 2* for social studies (U.S. History, World Geography or World History) * Based on minimum program requirements

23. 22 Meet the cumulative score requirement in each of the four core content areas and Meet the satisfactory performance level on two EOC exams: o English III o Algebra II STAAR Graduation Requirements: Recommended High School Program

24. Level I: Unsatisfactory Academic Performance Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance Level III: Advanced Academic Performance STAAR Graduation Requirements: PERFORMANCE MINIMUM SCORE

25. STAAR Graduation Requirements Who is required to meet specific performance levels? In some cases, a student will not have to meet Level II or III requirements on English III or Algebra II if he or she Earned course credit prior to spring 2012 Earned course credit outside of Texas public schools Is receiving special education services

26. STAAR Graduation Requirements: Distinguished Achievement Program 25 Meet the cumulative score requirement in each of the four core content areas and Perform satisfactorily on the college-readiness component for two EOC exams: o English III o Algebra II

27. STAAR Graduation Requirements 26 If a student does not achieve the minimum score on an EOC assessment, the student shall retake the assessment. If a student does not perform satisfactorily on the college-readiness component of the EOC assessments for English III or Algebra II, the student may retake the assessment.

28. STAAR Graduation Requirements 27 A student is not required to retake a course as a condition of retaking an EOC assessment. A school district shall provide accelerated instruction to each student who fails to perform satisfactorily on an EOC assessment.

29. STAAR Graduation Requirements 28 A student’s score on an EOC assessment will be worth 15% of the student’s final grade for that course. A school district is not required to use the student’s score on subsequent administrations to determine the student’s final grade for that course.

30. STAAR Graduation Requirements 29 For middle school students who take a high school course (e.g., Algebra I) prior to spring 2012, TEA is considering several options. o Students would not be required to take that particular EOC assessment. Their cumulative score for that content area would decrease. o Students could choose to take that particular EOC assessment in spring 2012 or beyond. If they take the assessment, the score they receive would only be used in their cumulative score if it benefitted the students.

31. Performance Standards STAAR EOC Assessments o Standards will be set in late February 2012. o First reports with performance standards applied will be available in June 2012. o First retests will be offered in July 2012.

32. Performance Standards STAAR Grades 3-8 Assessments Standards will be set in October 2012 for the spring 2012 administration. Raw score information will be available in spring 2012. First reports with performance standards applied will be available in late fall 2012.

33. SB 1031: “A student's performance on an end-of-course assessment instrument for a course listed in this subsection in which the student is enrolled to account for 15 percent of the student's final grade for the course.” The 15% grading requirement applies to the final course grade as students are earning course credit including Students in grades 3–8 who are earning high school credit Students who earn credit by semester Students receiving special education services who take the general assessment Students on the Minimum High School Program Students enrolled in dual credit courses Students enrolled in correspondence courses Students who repeat a course The 15% grading requirement does not apply to students taking STAAR Modified or STAAR Alternate. 15% Rule

34. Additional Resources www.gcisd-k12.org > Departments and Programs > Assessment, Research and Evaluation. www.gcisd-k12.org o Links to the latest information about STAAR o STAAR Brochures o Graduation Requirements o Presentation materials www.tea.state.tx.us > Testing / Accountability www.tea.state.tx.us o Sample questions o Blueprints o Graduation information