There will be two cut scores (satisfactory and advanced), which will identify three performance categories.* For the general STAAR assessments, the labels for the performance categories and policy definitions are:

Level III: Advanced Academic Performance

Performance in this category indicates that students are well prepared for the next grade or course. They demonstrate the ability to think critically and apply the assessed knowledge and skills in varied contexts, both familiar and unfamiliar. Students in this category have a high likelihood of success in the next grade or course with little or no academic intervention.

Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance

Performance in this category indicates that students are sufficiently prepared for the next grade or course. They generally demonstrate the ability to think critically and apply the assessed knowledge and skills in familiar contexts. Students in this category have a reasonable likelihood of success in the next grade or course but may need short-term, targeted academic intervention.

Level I: Unsatisfactory Academic Performance

Performance in this category indicates that students are inadequately prepared for the next grade or course. They do not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the assessed knowledge and skills. Students in this category are unlikely to succeed in the next grade or course without significant, ongoing academic intervention.

*Performance standards for grades 3-8 will be established in fall 2012 and applied to spring 2012 test scores. They will be presented as scale scores rather than raw scores. A scale score is a more exact way to determine subject mastery than a raw score because a scale score considers the difficulty level of the individual test questions in addition to whether or not a student answers the question correctly. The basic score on any test is the raw score, which is the number of questions answered correctly regardless of difficulty level. A scale score is a conversion of the raw score onto a scale that takes into account the difficulty level of the specific set of questions used on a test in any given year.

Performance Level Descriptors (PLD) for STAAR grades 3–8 will be developed in June 2012. They provide a snapshot of students’ academic characteristics based on performance on a given STAAR assessment. PLDs are statements describe the specific knowledge and skills students typically demonstrate at each performance level.

STAAR Mathematics Assessments for Grades 3–8 The student expectations addressing underlying processes and mathematical tools remain part of the TEKS for mathematics in grades 3–8. In the new STAAR mathematics assessments for grades 3–8, there is not a separate reporting category for process skills similar to TAKS objective 6. Instead, these skills will be incorporated into at least 75% of the test questions from the content reporting categories and will be reported along with the content standards.

Test Question from Grade 3 Mathematics

Melissa had some money in her purse when she went to the mall with her mother. She spent $5 on a book. Then her mother gave her $10. After Melissa spent $2 on a snack, she had $23 in her purse. How much money did Melissa have in her purse when she first went to the mall? Mark your answer.

A $26 B $17 C* $20 D $6

This test question addresses

Content: 3.3B, select addition or subtraction and use the operation to solve problems involving whole numbers through 999

Process: 3.14C, select or develop an appropriate problem-solving plan or strategy, including drawing a picture, looking for a pattern, systematic guessing and checking, acting it out, making a

table, working a simpler problem, or working backwards to solve a problem

Test Question from Grade 5 Mathematics

There are 319 students who volunteered to work at a craft fair. An equal number of volunteers came from each of 4 grade levels. About how many volunteers came from each grade level?

A 100 B* 80 C 325 D 40

This test question addresses

Content: 5.4A, use strategies, including rounding and compatible numbers to estimate solutions to addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems

Process: 5.14B, solve problems that incorporate understanding the problem, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluating the solution for reasonableness

Readiness versus Supporting Standards

Readiness Standards Supporting StandardsEssential for success in the current grade/course Introduced now but emphasized in a subsequent

yearImportant for preparedness for the next grade/course Reinforced now but introduced in a previous yearNecessitate in-depth instruction Do not play a central role in preparing for next

grade/courseAddress broad and deep ideas Address narrowly defined ideas