Preparing for STAAR:End-of-Course Exams

North East ISDSpring 2012

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TEA has yet to finalize several crucial decisions regarding STAAR exams. With the new assessment program, current testing policies, regulations and procedures are being reevaluated and will be modified as necessary to ensure that they fit the new structure and purpose of the STAAR program.

Therefore, as the District receives updated information from the Texas Education Agency throughout the school year, specific details concerning the implementation of the EOC exams will be communicated to all students and parents/guardians.

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION

What is STAAR?• State of Texas Assessments of Academic

Readiness (STAAR) Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, the Texas

Education Agency (TEA) will be launching STAAR to replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)

STAAR will include new graduation requirements for first time ninth-grade students in 2011-2012

• Based on Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

• STAAR tests for grades 3-8 and End-of-Course exams for high school-level courses Students enrolled in high school before 2011-2012

will continue to take TAKS3

Who will take STAAR?• First time ninth-grade students entering high school in

2011-2012 and enrolled in EOC courses

• Other high school students enrolled as a 9th grader before 2011-2012 are required to pass TAKS to graduate, but may be selected to take an EOC field test for courses in which they are enrolled

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Math English Science Social Studies

Algebra I English I Biology World Geography

Geometry English II Chemistry World History

Algebra II* English III* Physics U.S. History

*Must meet additional passing standards for Recommended High School Program and Distinguished Achievement Program** The English EOCs will include separate reading and writing components

**

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EOC Testing Calendar• Mar. 26, 2012: English I Writing; English III

Writing • Mar. 27, 2012: English I Reading; English III

Reading • Mar. 28, 2012: English II Writing • Mar. 29, 2012: English II Reading • May 7 - 18, 2012: Algebra I; Algebra II;

Biology; Chemistry; Geometry; Physics; World Geography; World History; U.S. History

The assessments commonly taken by ninth-graders are underlined.

•Greater emphasis on college and career readiness

•Lengthier and more rigorous assessment

•4-hour time limit

•All ELL students will participate

•All Special Education students participate

Increased Rigor of STAAR

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• Emphasis on expository and non-fiction reading and writing

• English I, II and III administered over two days to assess writing more comprehensively

• Two essays required in writing

• Essays limited to 26 lines

• Greater number of open-ended (griddable) questions in mathematics and science

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Increased Rigor of STAAR

End of Course Exams(EOCs)

• Students must meet passing standards for 8 to 12 EOCs

• Minimum High School Program (8 to 12 EOCs)• Recommended High School Program (12 EOCs)• Distinguished Achievement Program (12 EOCs)

• EOC tests results must be included as 15% of the student’s final grade for the course

• Minimum High School Program: It is possible that some students will need to perform satisfactory on as few as eight EOC assessments

• Recommended High School Program: Students must meet Satisfactory Academic Performance (Level II) in:

• English III and Algebra II

• Distinguished Achievement Program: Students must meet Advanced Academic Performance standard (Level III) in:

• English III and Algebra II

• Each of the four foundation subjects (Math, Reading/ELA, Social Studies, Science) have a minimum score and a cumulative score requirement

Graduation Requirements for students first enrolled in Grade 9 or below in

2011-2012

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Credits

Three Graduation Programs:Minimum High School Program (22 credits)

• 4 credits of English; 3 math; 2 science; 3 soc. std.; 1 P.E.; 0.5 health(through healthy lifestyles); 0.5 speech; 1 fine arts; 1 academic elective; 6 electives; must see counselor for MHSP

Recommended High School Program (26 credits)

• 4 credits each of English, math, science, soc. std.; 2 credits in other languages; 1 P.E.; 0.5 health (through healthy lifestyles); 0.5 speech; 1 fine arts; 5 elective credits; default graduation program

Distinguished High School Program (26 credits)

• same as RHSP except 3 credits in other languages; 4 elective credits; 4 advanced measures

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New Student Performance Levels

• Cumulative Score: # of EOC’s taken in a content area multiplied by a passing score for example: 3 X 70=210

• College Readiness: score in Algebra II and English III EOC that measures a student’s readiness to enroll and succeed in entry level Math or English college courses without remediation

Level IUnsatisfactory Academic Performance

Level IISatisfactory Academic Performance

Level IIIAdvanced AcademicPerformance

Min

imum

Sco

re

DAP: English III and Algebra II

RHSP: English III and Algebra II

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Cumulative Score Requirement – TEA Will Set Standards in April, Not February

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What Does the Law Say About EOCs?

• The STAAR EOC assessment scores will account for 15% of a student’s final grade in the course.

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85% from teacher• Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra

II• Biology, Chemistry, Physics • English I, English II, English III • World Geography, World

History and U.S. History

15% from EOC• The STAAR EOC assessment

scores will account for 15% of the student’s final course grade

How Will the Final Course Grade be Distributed?

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Semester 1

Semester 2

Year Average EOC Final Course Grade

Credit

ALG I 70 76 73 68 72 1.0Calculation (70+76)/2*.85

=62.1(68*.15)=10.2

62.1 + 10.2 =72.3

Semester 1

Semester 2

Year Average EOC Final Course Grade

Credit

ALG I 70 72 71 60 69 0.0Calculation (70+72)/2*.85

=60.4(60*.15)

=9.060.4 + 9.0

=69.4

Semester 1

Semester 2

Year Average EOC Final Course Grade

Credit

ALG I 90 94 92 95 93 1.0Calculation (90+94)/2*.85

=78.2(95*.15)=14.3

78.2 + 14.3 =92.5

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Semester 1

Semester 2

Year Average EOC Final Course Grade

Credit

Eng I 70 76 73 73 1.0Reading EOC

(68*.075)=5.1

Writing EOC

(75*.075)=5.6

Calculation (70+76)/2*.85=62.1

62.1+5.1 +5.6 =72.8

68

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STAAR EOCs and Course Credit• All EOC courses will be worth 1.0 credit • Semester credits for EOC courses are no

longer awarded• Credit will be awarded based on two

factors: The year average plus the EOC grade equals a

passing grade (70% or higher)• If a student’s final course grade is less than

a 70 after 15% of an EOC score is applied, then the course credit is denied until the student improves the final grade

• Final course grades and course credits will appear on the student’s transcript

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Sem 1 Sem 2 EOC Final Year Course

Grade

Case #1 70 72 55 (55*.15)=8.

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69(70+72)/2*.85)=60.35

8.25+60.35=68.6

Case #2 75 58 95(95*.15)=14

.25

71(75+58)/2*.85)=56.5314.25+56.53=70.78

Case #3 63 63 95(95*.15)=14

.25

68(63+63)/2*.85)=53.55

14.25+53.55=67.8

Does the student earn credit for the year?

Does the student earn credit for the year?

Does the student earn credit for the year?

Checking for Understanding

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Yes, STAAR Modified and Alternate tests can be used for 15%

• Phase in as systems are developed

• ARD must concur

NEISD’s Choice:Will Special Education Options Include 15%?

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Students Taking Credit-awarding High School Courses While in Middle School

• Required to take the EOC for the course in which the student is enrolled

• Required that EOC will be averaged as 15% of the final course grade

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Current 8th and 9th graders:• Continue the current practice of

awarding rank points by semesters that are not influenced by EOC exams through high school

Beginning with 9th graders entering high school in 2013-2014 (current 7th graders): • Double the final grade as rank points

for the year

NEISD’s Recommendation: Class Rank

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Semester 1

Semester 2

Year Average EOC Final Course Grade

ALG I 70 76 73 68 72Calculation (70+76)/2*.85

=62.1(68*.15)=10.2

62.1 + 10.2 =72.3

Rank Points Rank Points

70+76 = 146 Rank Points

NEISD’s Recommendation: Calculating Rank PointsBeginning with 9th Graders entering high school in 2011-2012 (current practice) – EOCs will not impact rank or GPA calculations

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Semester 1

Semester 2

Year Average EOC Final Course Grade

ALG I 70 76 73 68 72Calculation (70+76)/2*.85

=62.1(68*.15)=10.2

62.1 + 10.2 =72.3

Rank Points

72 * 2 = 144 Rank Points

NEISD’s Recommendation: Calculating Rank PointsBeginning with 9th Graders entering high school in 2013-2014

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NEISD’s Recommendation Will EOCs be weighted for rank when current 7th graders start 9th grade?

Semester 1

Semester 2

Year Average EOC Final Course Grade

Eng III AP 90 94 92 90 92Calculation (90+94)/2*.85

=78.2(90*.15)=13.5

78.2 + 13.5 =91.7

100.9 (78.2 * 1.29 (course weight)) + 13.5= 114.4114.4 * 2 semesters = 228.8 Rank Points

Begins when current 7th graders start 9th grade in 2013-14

Final Grade on AAR = 92

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• Beginning with 9th Graders entering high school in 2013-2014 (current 7th graders)

• The first score earned counts for rank

• Subsequent retakes will not impact rank

NEISD’s Recommendation: How Many Retakes Count for Rank?

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NEISD’s Recommendation: Ranking the Final 7th Semester for Seniors

Senior year rank calculation• First semester grades in

senior year – calculated without EOC result

General Rules for STAAR Retakes• Students may retest for any

reason, but must retake the EOC test if performance does not reach the minimum score

• A student may not be required to retake a course as a condition of retaking the EOC assessment for that course

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•How many times will NEISD calculate EOC retakes into the final course grade?Until the student earns

course credit

NEISD’s Recommendation:Retakes for Final Course Grade on Transcript

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NEISD’s Recommendation: Retakes for Final Course grade:Until the student earns course credit

Semester 1

Semester 2

Year Average EOC Final Course Grade

Credit

ALG I 70 64 67 68 67 0.0Calculation (70+64)/2*.85

=57.0(68*.15)=10.2

57.0 + 10.2 =67.2

84 70 1.090

Retake EOC Exam

The 90 earned on the EOC after receiving 1.0 credit can be used for the cumulative total; however, it will not impact the final course grade.

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NEISD’s Recommendation: Retakes for Final Course grade:Until the student earns course credit

Semester 1

Semester 2

Year Average EOC Final Course Grade

Credit

ALG I 70 64 67 68 67 0.0Calculation (70+64)/2*.85

=57.0(68*.15)=10.2

57.0 + 10.2 =67.2

70

59.5

70 1.070

Course Recovery

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Options for Remediation• Course recovery• Campus-based Summer School

(EOC Prep)• Regular Summer School• Remediation classes the following

year• Tutoring during the school year• Online courses (in planning stage)

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Our Common Goal• To ensure your student graduates

high school on timeParents should stay current on where

your student is now on the EOC journey and ask questions along the way.

School will make recommendations to help your student succeed

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NEISD’s Recommendation: Number of End-of-Year Report Cards for 2011-12

• Two for all 9th graders

• Two for 7th and 8th graders in Algebra I or Geometry

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TENTATIVE Timeline for End-of-Year

• May 30, 2012 – last day of school• May 31, 2012 – teachers enter grades• June 1, 2012 – preliminary report cards mailed home• June 8, 2012 – EOC results received – final report

cards mailed home• June 11, 2012 – First day for Elementary and Middle

School Summer School• June 13, 2012 – First day for Campus-based Summer

School EOC Prep, Course Recovery, TAKS Success

• June 13, 2012 – High School Summer School begins• July 9, 2012 – EOC retakes begin

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Closing Comments

• Questions

Additional information, videos and resources available at www.neisd.net/staar