STAAR Redesign Constructed Response Resources and Updated Calendar of Events
| Date: | October 20, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Subject: | STAAR Redesign Constructed Response Rubrics and Updated Calendar of Events |
| Category: | Student Assessment |
| Next Steps: | Share with appropriate staff |
The purpose of this communication is to inform superintendents, school system administrators, and campus administrators about new and updated resources for educators regarding the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®).
Beginning with the spring 2023 administration, STAAR will be redesigned to align more closely with effective classroom instruction. The redesign includes several components:
- New types of test questions: New, non-multiple-choice question types are more like the kinds of questions teachers ask in class and give students more ways to show understanding.
- More cross-curricular reading passages: Reading comprehension test questions reference topics students have learned about in other classes.
- Evidence-based writing incorporated into reading language arts tests: Combined reading and writing tests better support the interconnected way these subjects are taught and eliminate stand-alone writing tests for grades 4 and 7.
- Robust accommodations in online tests: The online testing platform provides a full suite of robust accommodations for students with specific learning needs.
- Tests administered online: Online testing supports all the changes above and provides faster test results to support accelerated learning. (The transition to online testing will be implemented beginning with the December 2022 administration.)
TEA has been supporting ESCs and school systems in training their teachers about the STAAR redesign. In November, TEA will send an email to all teachers with information about optional live webinars and an asynchronous module to learn more about the STAAR redesign if they haven’t already received training from their school system or ESC.
Scoring Guides for Constructed Responses Items
To help educators understand how new reading language arts (RLA), science, and social studies constructed response items will be scored, Constructed Response Scoring Guides are now available on the STAAR Redesign webpage under the section Resources to Support New Question Types. The guides include rubrics and real examples of student responses for short and extended constructed response items.
2022–23 Calendar of Events and New Reporting Structure
An updated 2022–23 Calendar of Events is now posted in the District and Campus Coordinator Resources (DCCR). The calendar includes dates when educators can expect to see early student STAAR results in the Centralized Reporting System (CRS) and preliminary accountability data files to assist with initial planning for accelerated instruction. To support understanding of what information will be available when, a Reporting Timeline for Spring 2023 STAAR has been posted on the STAAR redesign webpage.
As a result of standard setting after the administration of STAAR, the initial delivery of results will only include raw score data. Performance level data will be added in CRS after the test results are verified through post-equating. Additional information to assist school systems, and their campuses in using preliminary data to make decisions about accelerated instruction for individual students will be available soon.
Please submit any questions regarding the STAAR redesign or any of these resources to the Texas Education Agency via the Student Assessment Help Desk.