Katy students score higher than state, regional averages on 2012 STAAR test

As the state's fifth standardized test, Creech said, STAAR is virtually unrecognizable from its predecessors whose questions relied more heavily on visuals and one-step problems.

"Problem solving used to be its own thing, but in STAAR problem solving is in everything else," said Kim Lawson, executive director for curriculum and instruction. "The questions are much deeper. You did not just need to know math facts, but [also] how to really read the questions."

STAAR's test questions contain a "higher cognitive complexity level," Creech said. There is more emphasis on critical thinking and less focus on testing a wide range of skills, and students must now complete the test in four hours instead of taking an entire school day.

Teachers have only seen sample questions from the test, Lawson said, and will receive a full copy of a version of STAAR in the fall. Creech said then the district can analyze what type of questions were most challenging to students and how it can better prepare them.

"When we get the test, we will get to see how the state is assessing certain items," Lawler said.

The state will not issue new accreditation statuses to districts for the 2012–13 school year, according to an announcement from Commissioner of Education Michael L. Williams. A district's accreditation status can be one of four levels—accredited, warned, probation and revoked. The status is based partially on students' performance on standardized tests.