The Texas Education Agency recently announced that approximately 309,000 students in the Class of 2015 have taken all or most of the end-of-course (EOC) assessments required for graduation. Of that number, approximately 76 percent of students – who are currently in their junior year of high school – have already passed the assessments they have taken and are on track to graduate under requirements set by the Texas Legislature in House Bill 5.
The cumulative passing rates reflect results from the December 2013 administration of EOCs. In addition, the increased percentages reflect students who have passed English I and English II EOCs based on HB 5 transition rules established by the commissioner of education.
The December test administration marked the last time that the reading and writing exams were given separately. Beginning in May, there will be a combined reading and writing exam.
For the December 2013 STAAR EOC administration, which largely involved retesters, passing rates were as follows:
- U.S. history – 67 percent passed (8,281 tested)
- Biology – 42 percent passed (46,366 tested)
- English I Reading – 37 percent passed (109,970 tested)
- English II Reading – 35 percent passed (52,039 tested)
- English II Writing – 33 percent passed (93,715 tested)
- Algebra I – 30 percent passed (67,020 tested)
- English I Writing – 15 percent passed (153,375 tested)
Under House Bill 5, the number of EOCs required to graduate was reduced from 15 to five. Students that have not passed English I or II reading or writing will be required to take the new combined assessments beginning in spring 2014.
The latest statewide summary reports are available at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/rpt/sum/yr13/ .