STAAR
State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness
​
​
In January, 2010, Commissioner of Education Robert Scott announced that the next generation of student tests will be called the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STAAR.
STAAR will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), which is the criterion-reference assessment program that has been in place since 2003.
The STAAR name, pronounced the same as star, will be used for the 12 end-of-course assessments mandated by SB 1031 in 2007 and the new grade 3-8 assessments mandated by HB 3 in the 2009 legislative session.
The new tests will be used beginning in the 2011-2012 school year. Students in the graduating Class of 2015, who are currently in seventh grade, will be the first students who must meet the end-of-course testing requirements, as well as pass their classes, in order to earn a diploma.
The new tests will be significantly more rigorous than previous tests and will measure a child’s performance, as well as academic growth.
The grade 3-8 STAAR tests in reading and mathematics, by law, must be linked from grade to grade to performance expectations for the English III and Algebra II end-of-course assessments.
During a speech at the Texas Association of School Administrators’ Midwinter Conference in Austin, Scott also said the last TAKS-based school accountability ratings will be issued in 2011. Ratings will be suspended in 2012 while a new accountability system is developed.
The new state rating system will debut in 2013.
The TEA and STAAR
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has created and informational webpage regarding STAAR. The webpage includes:
-
Assessment attributes
-
Assessed curriculum
-
Test blueprints for the grades/subjects and courses assessed
Click Here to Visit the Webpage.
STAAR