The Texas Education Agency has identified three performance categories for the grade 3-8 STAAR End of Course tests –

• Level lll: Advanced Academic Performance – Performance at this level indicates that a student is well prepared for the next grade or course. Students have a high likelihood of success in the next grade or course with little or no need for academic interventions. For Algebra ll and English lll, this level of performance also indicates a student’s postsecondary readiness.
• Level ll: Satisfactory Academic Performance - Performance in this category indicates that students are sufficiently prepared for the next grade or course. They have a reasonable likelihood of success in the next grade or course but may need short-term, targeted academic intervention.
• Level l: Unsatisfactory Academic Performance – Performance in this category indicates that students are inadequately prepared for the next grade or course. Students in this category are unlikely to succeed in the next grade or course without significant, on-going academic intervention.

* Level II Satisfactory rating on English III, Reading and Writing and Algebra II is required to qualify for the state's Recommended Achievement Program high school diploma.
** Level III Advanced Academic rating on English III, Reading and Writing and Algebra II is required to qualify for the state's Distinguished Achievement Program high school diploma.

With the implementation STAAR, the Texas Education Agency has significantly increased the testing requirements for high school graduation.

STAAR Cumulative Score Requirement –

Depending on their graduation program, students will be required to meet the passing standard, Level ll: Satisfactory Academic Performance (or at least achieve a predetermined minimum score), on eight to twelve STAAR EOC assessments. In order to graduate, a student must achieve a cumulative score that is at least equal to the product of the number of EOC assessments taken in that content area and a scale score that indicates satisfactory performance (Level ll). For example, if the passing standard, or satisfactory performance, is 3500, a student would need to achieve a cumulative score of 10,500 (3 assessments x 3500 = 10,500) in each of the four foundation content areas. A student must achieve a minimum score on an EOC assessment for the score to count toward his or her cumulative score. A student’s cumulative score is determined using his or her highest score on each EOC assessment within a content area.

Minimum High School Program (MHSP) – Students must take STAAR EOC assessments for all courses in which they are enrolled and for which there is a STAAR EOC assessment available and meet a cumulative score requirement in each of the four foundation content areas. It is possible that some students graduating on the minimum plan will need to perform satisfactorily on as few as eight EOC assessments.

Recommended High School Program (RHSP) – Students must take all twelve STAAR EOC assessments and meet the cumulative score requirement in each of the four foundation content areas. Additionally, these students must achieve Level ll: Satisfactory Academic Performance on the Algebra ll and English lll assessments in order to receive a diploma under the RHSP.

Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP) – Students must take all twelve EOC assessments and meet the cumulative score requirement in each of the four foundation content areas. In addition, these students must meet Level lll: Advanced Academic Performance, the postsecondary-readiness performance standard, on the Algebra ll and English lll assessments in order to receive a diploma under the DAP.

Students who do not meet the minimum score requirement are required to retake the test. Students who do not meet Level ll: Satisfactory Academic Performance may retake the test and are expected to do so. When a student does not reach the minimum score requirement, the score counts as a zero towards the cumulative score requirement for graduation.

All twelve STAAR EOC assessments will be administered at the end of the first semester, at the end of the second semester, and in the summer, giving students three testing opportunities each year. Students may retest during any of these offered times for any reason.

A student who has STAAR as his or her graduation requirement and who has completed a high school course prior to spring of 2012 is not required to take that specific STAAR EOC assessment to fulfill his or her graduation requirement. As a result, the student’s cumulative score will be based on fewer assessments. However, the student could choose to take the assessment beginning in the spring 2012 and has the option of using the score in his or her cumulative score. Scores on EOC assessments taken prior to the spring 2012 will not count towards a student’s cumulative score.

If you have scored below the Satisfactory Academic Performance level (Level II), you should retest to insure a high enough cumulative score to graduate. Students who do not meet the minimum score requirement or were absent must retake the test.

 

 

TEA Resources

Assessed curriculum STAAR blueprints Description of the new assessment model Comparison between TAKS and STAAR STAAR Questions and Answers STAAR Brochures http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/ Region XIII Resources   Region XIII Education Service Center provides information for the Austin area school districts and has developed a STAAR web page with parent resources and other STAAR information. www5.esc13.net/staar/ Midland High School Prompt for Persuasive Writing Template Midland High School Prompt for Expository Writing Template Midland High School STAAR Writing Plan Your Composition Midland High School STAAR Writing 26 Lined Page