As you know, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) is the new state assessment program that has replaced the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test that has been in place since 2003. The new test also includes twelve End of Course (EOC) exams in high school.
The STAAR assessment is designed to be more difficult than the TAKS. The difficulty level will be increased by having more questions, measuring a higher level of thinking in relation to content skills, having more items that require students’ writing in responses rather than selecting from multiple choices, focusing deeply on content taught during the current year rather than a culmination of information from multiple years, and measuring readiness for college and career success.
The TAKS test is being phased out in high school; during the week of April 23-27, our high school sophomores and juniors were given that examination. Those scores will be reported as they always have, and the proposed date to receive them is some time around May 20, 2012. During that same time, our grades 3-8 were administered the new STAAR examination. The scores for that test should arrive around May 23. These students’ scores will be a bit different than what we have seen in the past. Student performance will fall into one of the three categories of Level I, which is Unsatisfactory Academic Performance, Level II, which is Satisfactory Academic Performance, or Level III, which is Advanced Academic Performance.
Texas Education Agency’s Student Success Initiative requires that grades 5 and 8 pass both the reading and math exams to be promoted to the next grade. For this year (2011-2012), this requirement will not apply; however, it will return in 2012-2013. High school students taking EOCs may take the exams at the given times until they meet the required passing standards. (Please see our previously posted Local Policies on the EBISD website in regard to retesting on the EOC.) The End of Course exams are assigned to students in the following courses: Algebra I, II, Geometry, English I, II, III, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, World Geography, World History, and U. S. History. To receive credit in any of these classes and ultimately graduate, the student must take and pass each of these subject EOC exams.
East Bernard has assigned a numerical score to each of the testing levels on the EOC. Students enrolled in these EOC courses will have each of their semester averages count 42.5% and their EOC score will be the remaining 15%. When the student reports are returned to us, Level I will be assigned 69%, Level II will be assigned 85%, Level III will be assigned 99% and 100% on the test will be 100%. These percentage assignments are a local decision, and the End of Course exam will count as the students’ semester exam.
East Bernard Independent School District is staying abreast of all of the changes being made by Texas Education Agency, and some of their decisions have not been made at this point. We will do our best to keep you informed of our decision via our website at www.ebisd.org. In addition, Region 13 has put out a parent information video and flyer you might find informative. It is on the following website: http://www5.esc13.net/staar/parent_resources.html. If you have further questions, please let us know.
Thank you,
Ruth Ellen Sharp, District Testing Coordinator
