PICNIC UNDER THE STAARs: Q

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PICNIC UNDER THE STAARsQ A

• The State of Texas Assessments of Academic
  Readiness (STAAR)

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• The State of Texas Assessments of Academic
  Readiness, or STAAR, replaced the Texas
  Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)
  assessment program during the Spring of 2012.
• At grades 3-8, students will continue to be
  tested in mathematics and reading. Students will
  also be tested in writing at grades 4 and 7,
  science at grades 5 and 8, and social studies at
  grade 8.

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• In general, the STAAR assessment program has some
  significant differences from TAKS
• Increased rigor of both the assessments and the
  performance standards for all grades and subjects
• a four-hour time limit for each assessment
• Assessments have been designed to focus on
  readiness standards- skills that are essential
  for success in the current grade and next grade.

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• STAAR writing assessments at grades 4 and 7 have
  been extended to two days (4 hours each day).
• Students will write an expository one day and a
  personal narrative one day.

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• There are three performance categories
• Level I Unsatisfactory Academic Performance
• This performance category indicates that students
  are inadequately prepared for the next grade and
  that the student does not demonstrate a
  sufficient understanding of the assessed
  curriculum. Also, the student is unlikely to
  succeed in the next grade without significant,
  ongoing academic intervention.

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• Level II- Satisfactory Academic Performance
• This performance category indicates that students
  are sufficiently prepared for the next grade
  level and can generally demonstrate the ability
  to think critically and can also demonstrate the
  ability to apply the assessed curriculum in
  familiar contexts. This student has a reasonable
  likelihood of success in the next grade and may
  need short-term, targeted academic intervention.

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• Level III- Advanced Academic Performance
• This performance category indicates that students
  are well prepared for the next grade and are able
  to demonstrate the ability to think critically.
  These students are able to demonstrate the
  ability to apply the assessed curriculum in
  varied contexts, both familiar and unfamiliar.
  These students have a high likelihood of success
  in the next grade with little or no academic
  intervention.

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Phase-In Scores and 2015
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STAAR TESTING DATES

• MARCH 30 4TH Grade WRITING DAY 1
• MARCH 31 4TH Grade WRITING DAY 2
• 5TH Grade READING
• APRIL 20 5TH Grade MATH
• APRIL 21 3RD AND 4TH Grade MATH
• APRIL 22 3RD AND 4TH Grade READING
• 5TH Grade SCIENCE

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5TH GRADE RETESTING DATES

• Second Administration
• MAY 12 5TH Grade READING
• No summer school prior to the third
  administration.
• Third Administration
• June 23 5th Grade READING