Some context
The Texas Education Agency released statewide results of the spring STAAR exams on Aug. 16.
This year’s exams were redesigned “to better align with classroom instruction” following the passage of House Bill 3906 in 2019. The exams were administered almost exclusively online, focused on writing and included more questions that mirrored how students learned in class, officials said. Students requiring accommodations could still complete paper exams.
Public school students must perform to at least the “approaches grade level” standard to pass the test.
The breakdown
The percentage of LISD students in grades 3-8 approaching grade level on each exam stayed at or a few points above or below last year’s results, according to the TEA.
In sixth grade, reading scores improved by six percentage points. Eighth grade science and social studies scores each fell by five percentage points.
Officials from LISD could not be reached for comment on the STAAR results.Zooming out
Statewide results show reading and language arts proficiency in grades 3-8 remains largely unchanged as students recover from learning loss due to the pandemic, according to the TEA. Meanwhile, schools are struggling to bring scores to prepandemic levels in math.
Learn more
Parents can visit www.texasassessment.gov to access their child’s individual STAAR results. The online portal includes students’ individual scores, how a student answered each question on their exams and recommendations to help the student grow academically.
“We recommend parents log in and learn more about their child’s STAAR scores,” Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in a news release. “Being fully informed about their child’s academic progress can help them work with their child’s teacher during the new school year.”
A breakdown of STAAR results by state, region, district and campus is available here.
