TAKS is gone. No TAKS test this year. Instead, students will be taking a new test this school year. The new test is called STAAR, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. It's called that because one of the functions of the new test is to determine if the student is ready for the next grade. In high school, it will test for college and career readiness.
New state assessment test starts this school year in Texas schools for Grades 3-8 and high school will start with grade 9 only, but add a grade level each new school year.
STAAR is different from the TAKS in a number of ways. For one thing, the test will be tougher. It most likely will have more questions than TAKS. And the test will be timed. Students will have four hours to complete the test.
STAAR, also includes the EOC (end of course) tests at the high school level. This year's ninth-graders will be the first to take the new exams.
End of Course
Students entering the 9th grade in school year 2011-12 will take the new EOC (end of course) assessments. The results of these tests will account for 15% of the student's final grade in the course. There are some resources on the TEA website related to STAAR but it boils down to challenging students to master the content of the courses with EOCs.
How should they average 15 percent of the score of the EOC into their own grading systems that may have no obvious connection with how the state test is graded? - The Texas Education Agency (TEA) issued a clarification letter in late August that told school districts they were on their own: "TEA is not planning to provide a method by which scale scores can be converted into grading systems because of wide variations in grading policy from district to district." However, many believe TEA should give more guidance and more information could be released.
Parents
It is important for parents to understand the curriculum has changed and new instructional materials are aligned to help teachers provide the appropriate instruction. The new STAAR test is much more rigorous and the curriculum taught is now more closely tied to performance on the test.
Many teachers are stressing to parents that their role is vital during this launch of the new testing. As parents learn the new requirements, they are reminded of the importance of attendance and of completing homework.
Texas Education Agency's official information:
STAAR: The Next Generation
Beginning in spring 2012, students will start a new voyage with the launch of the next testing program called the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STAAR™.
What is STAAR?
STAAR is a more rigorous standardized testing program that will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) for elementary, middle, and high school students. The new STAAR program will emphasize "readiness" standards, which are the knowledge and skills that are considered most important for success in the grade or subject that follows and for college and career.
What tests must you take in high school?
Students' first entering ninth grade in the 2011–2012 school year will notice the biggest difference in the new testing program. Under the TAKS program, students were required to take two tests in the ninth grade and four tests in both the 10th and 11th grade. In order to graduate, students were required to pass four exit-level tests given at 11th grade. With the new STAAR program, the exit-level tests will
be replaced with 12 end-of-course (EOC) assessments, which students will take as they complete the corresponding course.
The 12 EOC assessments are:
• English I, English II, English III
• Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II
• Biology, Chemistry, Physics
• World Geography, World History, and U.S. History
If a student is enrolled in grade 8 or below and is taking a course for which there is a STAAR EOC assessment, that student will be required to take the applicable STAAR EOC test. For example, an eighth grade student enrolled in Algebra I will take the STAAR Algebra I EOC, as well as the grade 8 reading, science, and social studies assessments. Local school district policy will determine whether this student will also take the STAAR grade 8 mathematics assessment.
How is STAAR different from TAKS?
The new end-of-course assessments will only assess the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for a given course, unlike the high school TAKS tests that cover material from multiple courses. The questions on the new STAAR will be deeper and more complex than TAKS.
• In reading, greater emphasis will be given to critical analysis rather than to literal understanding.
• In writing, students will be required to write two essays instead of one, and the English EOC assessments will be administered over two days.
• In science and math, the number of open-ended (griddable) questions will increase to allow students to derive an answer independently.
In addition, a student's score on the STAAR EOC assessment will count 15 percent towards the student's final grade in that course. Each of the 12 end-of-course assessments will be available in paper format and online. Also, for the first time since the state began its standardized testing program, there will be a four-hour time limit to complete the test unless the student obtains a special exception.
What do you need to graduate?
To graduate, a student must have a yet to-be-determined cumulative score on all of the EOC assessments taken in each content area: English, math, science, and social studies. Besides meeting the cumulative score requirement in each of four core content areas, students on the Recommended High School Program, which is the standard graduation plan, must pass the Algebra II and English III EOC assessments. The passing standards will be set in February 2012.
The STAAR graduation requirements apply to students first entering the ninth grade in fall 2011. All other current high school students will graduate on the TAKS program.
Will students who receive special education services take the STAAR?
The admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee for a student who receives special education services will determine the appropriate test.
What happens if you pass the course but fail the test?
If a student passes the course, but does not earn the required minimum score on the EOC assessment, the student may retake the test. The student is not required to retake a course as a condition of retaking the test for that course. The school is required to provide accelerated instruction to each student who fails to perform satisfactorily on any EOC assessment.
Where can I find more information about the new testing program?
The latest information about STAAR can be found at:
www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/
STAAR Brochure
STAAR Questions