STAAR State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness

1. STAARState of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness Coming soon to a Theatre Near You! Wiethorn 8/1/2011

2. What does STAAR include? • 12 EOC assessments that were mandated by SB1031 in 2007 • New grade 3-8 assessments that were mandated by HB 3 in 2009 Wiethorn 8/1/2011

3. What do we know about STAAR? • First implementation in 2011-2012 • Will be “significantly more rigorous” than TAKS; greater emphasis on alignment to college and career readiness • Will measure student performance and academic growth • Grade 3-8 STAAR tests in Reading and Math will be linked (from grade to grade) to performance expectations for English III STAAR and Algebra II STAAR Wiethorn 8/1/2011

4. STAAR Key Concepts and Terminology • “Fewer, clearer, deeper” • Fewer standards being tested more deeply • Emphasis on applying new learning in multiple ways rather than teaching breadth of information • Reporting categories (new terminology) – what we now call test objectives • Assessed curriculum (assessed curriculum)-TEKS student expectations (SEs) to be assessed on STAAR Wiethorn 8/1/2011

5. STAAR Key Concepts and Terminology cont. • Identify a core set of student expectations at each grade level that are critical to success in future grades • Readiness standards – These TEKS are considered the most important preparing students to succeed in the next grade or course (on any given test the majority of the test items (approx 60—70%) will assess readiness standards. • Supporting standards – These TEKS play a role in preparing students for the next grade or course, but not a central role. Wiethorn 8/1/2011

6. Not Assessed Readiness Standards tested each year Supporting Standards assessed across years Wiethorn 8/1/2011

7. STAAR (3-8) Assessments Include… • 3-8 Mathematics • 3-5 Spanish Mathematics • 3-8 Reading • 3-5 Spanish Reading • 4 and 7 Writing • 4 Spanish Writing • 5 & 8 Science • 5 Spanish Science • 8 Social Studies Implemented in 2011-2012 School Year Wiethorn 8/1/2011

8. What will STAAR Look Like in Grades 3-8? • The following slides give a glimpse of STAAR design for reading and writing, grades 3-8. • Information about all STAAR grade/subject area tests to be on the new STAAR webpage located on the MISD site under departments in Assessment. Wiethorn 8/1/2011

9. Reading Test Design, Grades 3-8 Genres Assessed • Literary strand: fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry and drama (drama beginning at grade 4) • Informational strand: expository and persuasive (persuasive beginning at grade 5) • Procedural elements embedded in informational pieces and media literacy embedded in either literary or informational pieces. Wiethorn 8/1/2011

10. Reading Test Design, Grades 3-8 cont. General Parameters • Single pieces and pairs included every year (pairs beginning at grade 4) • Pairs can include any combination of genres eligible for a particular grade • Pieces are different lengths-short, medium, and long • Test based on an overall word maximum rather than on a maximum per piece • Different numbers of questions attached to different length pieces Wiethorn 8/1/2011

11. Writing Test DesignGrades 4 and 7 Students to write two one-page essays addressing different types of writing • Types of writing include personal narrative and expository • Revising and editing assessed separately: • Reporting category – Composition (2 compositions) • Reporting category – Revision (9 / 16 Multiple Choice) • Reporting category – Editing (19 / 24 Multiple Choice) • Assessments at grades 4 & 7 administered over 2 days. • New scoring rubrics Wiethorn 8/1/2011

12. English and Spanish STAAR Alignment Grades 3-5 • English and Spanish versions to align in content and level of rigor • Close collaboration in all phases of development between English and Spanish test developers and TEA content reviewers • Input on test designs from joint committees of bilingual educators and general educators • Spanish and English tests to be parallel in – • test design and blueprints • reporting categories - Assessed curriculum (with rare language-based skill differences in writing) Wiethorn 8/1/2011

13. State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) High School STAAR - Starts in 2011-2012 with entering 9th graders (Class of 2015) - EOC assessments in 12 courses - Assessments will be tied to the course, not the grade level - Scores on high school STAAR assessments will count as 15% of a student’s grade in the course (EIA, EIC, EIE) Wiethorn 8/1/2011

14. State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) High School cont. • Available in 2011-2012 • Performance standards will be set in the fall of 2011 so that student performance can be reported after the spring 2012 administration. • The STAAR blueprints have been posted on the TEA website • Three cut points for Algebra II and English III(HB 3) *Minimum Score (Commissioner’s decision) *Satisfactory Performance *College/Career Readiness Wiethorn 8/1/2011

15. High School Course Line-up EnglishScience English I Biology English II Chemistry English III Physics Math Social Studies Algebra I World History Geometry World Geography Algebra II American History Wiethorn 8/1/2011

16. Graduation Assessments Plan for phase-out of HS TAKS and phase-in of EOC assessments **First year 9th Graders *Out-Of-School testers and 12th grade re-testers Wiethorn 8/1/2011

17. Transition Year Issue Accelerated scheduling: This will only be an issue during the 2011-2012 school year. • There will be no fall administration or end of first semester administration in 2011-2012. • Tentatively, plans for future show an end of 1st semester administration, end of 2nd semester administration and summer. Wiethorn 8/1/2011

18. High School Graduation Requirements • To graduate, a student must achieve a cumulative score (CS) 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 • For each of the four core content areas – cumulative score > n x passing scale score where n = number of assessments taken • BUT…a student MUST achieve at least a minimum score (as determined by the Commissioner of Education) in order for the score to count toward the student’s cumulative score Wiethorn 8/1/2011

19. Let’s Pretend…… • If the passing scale score on each of the 3 mathematics EOC assessments happens to be 1000, then a) the cumulative score > 3 x 1000 b) the cumulative score > 3000 • If the minimum scale score on Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II EOC assessments happened to be 900, then a) students must score at least 900 on each EOC b) but scoring 900 on each of the EOC assessments will not meet the cumulative score requirement of 3000 Wiethorn 8/1/2011

20. Let’s Pretend……cont. • A student scores a) 1100 on Algebra I b) 1000 on Geometry c) 800 on Algebra II • The student’s cumulative score is 2900 and does not equal the 3000 cumulative requirement • 800 does not meet the minimum score requirement of 900 and therefore cannot be used towards the cumulative score Wiethorn 8/1/2011

21. High School – STAAR cont. • Graduation Requirements – Minimum Graduation Plan - Student must meet the cumulative score (CS) requirement • Graduation Requirements – Recommended Graduation Plan - Student must meet cumulative score (CS) requirement in each of the four content areas AND - must meet Satisfactory Performance (SP) on ELA III and Algebra II • Graduation Requirements – Distinguished Achievement Plan -Student must meet cumulative score (CS) requirement AND -Student must meet Satisfactory Performance (SP) on College Readiness component (CR) of ELA III and Algebra II Wiethorn 8/1/2011

22. Transition to……TAKS M Type Assessment - Spring 2012 Operational Field Test *Single administration *Standard set in summer 2012 *Confidential Student Reports resent in fall 2012 *Typical courses students take in grades 9 and 10, English III and US History added later Wiethorn 8/1/2011

23. Transition to……TAKS-Alt Type Assessment -Will be an easier adjustment to the STAAR testing program -In 2011 and during the STAAR-Alt type assessment, more than one teacher will be able to access the system for a student Wiethorn 8/1/2011

24. Transition to……TAKS Accomm. Type Assessment • Accommodated students will take the regular STAAR test. • Looking at a more visually pleasing font more white space for all forms • Issues * The test may be longer Wiethorn 8/1/2011

25. ELL Students and STAAR • LAT testing could possibly be very different • Linguistic accommodations could be expanded to a larger number of ELL students • Stakeholders are requesting that all ELL’s get linguistic accommodations where TEA is not assessing Reading, this might be an idea for Math and Science • The EOC may create problems for ELL’s but particularly HS students who enter the US late during their HS years and EOC testing (this could pose a huge challenge for students and districts) • The state is considering computerized LAT accommodations for as soon as this year. • TEA is looking at linguistic accommodations for writing also. Wiethorn 8/1/2011

26. Issues • Middle school students who will have EOC as their graduation requirement and are currently taking HS course(s): • Option 1: Grandfather them into the system. These students could have one less required EOC in that content area. The EOC (if taken) would not count towards their graduation requirement. • Option 2: The student might be tested later (option not a requirement). • When will students retest and how many opportunities will they have? • Looking at three retesting opportunities throughout the calendar year: • Students can retest at any of those testing opportunities • EOC online or paper: all 12 will be offered in paper and online….a student can take it in any way the LEA allows Wiethorn 8/1/2011

27. What’s Here….. • New blueprints – TEA website • Lots of STAAR and EOC information • www.tea.state.tx.us Wiethorn 8/1/2011

28. What’s Soon to Come….. • Performance Standards -Established prior to Spring 2012 -Standard setting committee to establish growth measures and external validity -Algebra I performance standards will be changing • Support Documents -New blueprints (available now) -New reference materials (math chart, science (periodic table)) -New information booklets Wiethorn 8/1/2011

29. STAAR Release Assessments • State Law requires the release of state assessments every three years (primary form only). TEA can defer release of assessment items to develop additional assessments. • There will be some “type” of release with the items in the Information Booklets • The first full release of the primary form will be after the 2014 administration in order to create the new assessments • TEA is looking at the item banks to see what they can release between the Information Booklet and the first full release (Sept.)  Wiethorn 8/1/2011

30. State Accountability Standards Wiethorn 8/1/2011

31. 2011 and Beyond State Accountability Wiethorn 8/1/2011

32. Standard Accountability Decisions for 2011 and Beyond Wiethorn 8/1/2011 * The 2011 standards are final as determined by the Commissioner.

33. Standard Accountability Decisions for 2011 and Beyond Completion Rate I, Annual Dropout Rate, and Underreported Students *The 2011 standards are final as determined by the Commissioner. Numbers in red indicate an increase in rigor from the prior year. Wiethorn 8/1/2011

34. Ethnicity/Race Data Collection and Reporting for the 2010-2011 School Year • Beginning with the 2010-11 data collection, race/ethnicity data will be collected using the new definitions only. • PEIMS will collect race/ethnicity information using the new definitions only • Assessment answer documents will collect race/ethnicity using new definitions only • State accountability, federal accountability, and the AEIS will use the new definitions for all the current year (2010-11) indicators for the 2011 cycle. Wiethorn 8/1/2011

35. AYP Federal Performance Standards State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness Wiethorn 8/1/2011

36. 2011 and Beyond Federal Accountability Wiethorn 8/1/2011

37. AYP: Transition Plan Considerations for AYP in 2012 and beyond • Alternatives for reporting 2012 AYP results, including proposed timelines, will be included in the amendment requests. • Consideration for the use of end-of-course assessments in all grades on secondary campuses for AYP. • Graduation Rate targets for 2012 are applied to All Students and every student group. • Student graduation requirements will include end-of-course testing. • AYP Performance targets under the new STAAR assessment program. Wiethorn 8/1/2011

38. AYP: Transition Plan Considerations for AYP in 2012 and beyond • In 2012, STAAR Modified Assessments will -Fulfill student test requirements for AYP -Be used for standard setting -Late report (Fall 2012) to districts after summer standard setting Wiethorn 8/1/2011

39. PremieringSpring of2012 STAAR Wiethorn 8/1/2011