This week the commissioner of education unveiled the performance standards students must achieve to pass or excel on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR™) end-of-course (EOC) tests.
“These standards will be challenging for our students and will push academic performance to a new level in Texas. Students who pass the STAAR end-of-course assessments will be better prepared for success in the next course or in postsecondary pursuits,” said Commissioner of Education Robert Scott.
Three performance categories have been set for STAAR EOCs. The definitions for the categories are:
Level III: Advanced Academic Performance*
Performance in this category indicates that students are well prepared for the next grade or course. They demonstrate the ability to think critically and apply the assessed knowledge and skills in varied contexts, both familiar and unfamiliar. Students in this category have a high likelihood of success in the next grade or course with little or no academic intervention.
* For Algebra II and English III, this level of performance also indicates students are well prepared for postsecondary success.
Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance**
Performance in this category indicates that students are sufficiently prepared for the next grade or course. They generally demonstrate the ability to think critically and apply the assessed knowledge and skills in familiar contexts. Students in this category have a reasonable likelihood of success in the next grade or course but may need short-term, targeted academic intervention.
** For Algebra II and English III, this level of performance also indicates students are sufficiently prepared for postsecondary success.
Level I: Unsatisfactory Academic Performance
Performance in this category indicates that students are inadequately prepared for the next grade or course. They do not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the assessed knowledge and skills. Students in this category are unlikely to succeed in the next grade or course without significant, ongoing academic intervention.
TEA expects to release the first round of STAAR results in June and will then post a scale score conversion chart.
Additional information about the STAAR EOC standards can be found at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/.