Student assessment

The current state student assessment system, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, began in 2011-12.

STAAR

The STAAR system annually tests students in grades 3-8 and tests high school students via end-of-course exams. High school students must pass Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology and U.S. History end-of-course exams to graduate. Individual graduation committees must be established for students in 11th or 12th grade who have failed up to two of the EOCs. The committee determines whether a student can graduate despite failing the exams (see page 40). A student who fails the Algebra I or English II EOC but receives a proficient score on the Texas Success Initiative in the corresponding subject satisfies the EOC passage requirements. Beginning with the 2019-20 school year, assessments for grades 3-8 may not have more than three parts. Each part must be designed so that, in grades 3 and 4, 85% of students will be able to complete that part within 60 minutes; and in grades five through 8, 85% of students will be able to complete that part within 75 minutes. The time allowed for the test may not exceed eight hours and may occur in multiple parts over more than one day. These requirements do not apply if, as determined by commissioner-appointed assessment advisory committees, the assessment would no longer comply with federal law or be valid and reliable. These requirements also do not apply to a classroom portfolio method of assessing writing. The Algebra I EOC must be administered with the aid of technology but may include one or more parts that prohibit the use of technology. English I and II EOCs no longer must assess writing within the same assessment instrument. EOCs can be administered in multiple parts over more than one day. The testing schedule for STAAR cannot include a test administration on the first instructional day of a week. This limitation does not apply to a classroom portfolio method of assessing writing if student performance under this method is less than 50% of a student’s overall assessed performance in writing. Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, no more than 75% of questions in an assessment can be in multiple choice format.

Students who opt out

State law provides that parents are not entitled to remove their child from a class or other school activity to avoid a test. TEA requires that students who are in attendance on the day of testing and choose not to participate or refuse to mark their answers, and who are in grades 3-8 or are taking an EOC for the first time, will have their tests submitted for scoring as is (meaning they will be recorded as failing the test).

See also www.tea.texas.gov/student.assessment/staar.

2020-21 STAAR REQUIREMENTS

Grades 3-8 assessments

Grade 3 Reading, Math Grade 4 Reading, Math, Writing** Grade 5 Reading*, Math*, Science Grade 6 Reading, Math Grade 7 Reading, Math, Writing** Grade 8 Reading*, Math*, Science, Social Studies *NOTE: The promotion requirement for fifth and eighth graders has been waived by the commissioner for 2020-21 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. **Stand-alone writing test to be phased out.

Grades 9-12 end-of-course assessments

Algebra I Biology English I English II U.S. History

Limits on testing

Field tests: Separate field testing of existing tests can be conducted no more than once every other year. TEA must notify each school district before the beginning of the school year of any required participation in field testing. Benchmark tests: Districts are prohibited from administering more than two benchmark tests per state assessment, excluding administration of college prep assessments such as the PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP exams, etc. A parent can request additional benchmark tests. Districts also are prohibited from administering any locally required test designed to prepare students for state-administered tests on more than 10% of instructional days; campus site-based decision-making committees may approve an even lower percentage of days. Test administration: Procedures must minimize disruptions to school operations and the classroom environment. Limits on removal from class: School districts are required to adopt policies that limit removal of students from class for remedial tutoring or test preparation for more than 10% of the school days on which the class is offered, unless the parent gives written consent.

Vertical scale scores

As required by law, TEA developed a vertical scale for assessing student performance on the English STAAR for reading and Continued 2020-21 TCTA Survival Guide 37