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14 | NEWS | Community Impact Newspaper • Northwest Houston Edition
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Raw STAAR scores released, grading standards to be announced in fall
By Marie Leonard
Cy-Fair ISD ninth graders achieved
higher scores on all end-of-course exams
when compared to the statewide average
in each category, according to preliminary
data released in June.
“This is our baseline data and gives us
the opportunity to see where our strengths
are and where there are opportunities for
us to grow and improve,” said Roy Garcia,
associate superintendent for curriculum,
instruction and school administration.
Three different standardized tests were
administered during the 2011-12 school
year. Students in grades three through
eight took the new STAAR test, pupils in
ninth grade took end-of-course exams, and
students in 10th through 11th grade took
the TAKS test.
Seventy-six percent of CFISD ninth
graders passed the English reading exam,
61 percent passed the English writing
test, 93 percent passed biology, 89 percent
passed world geography and 90 percent
passed the algebra exam. CFISD students
performed best on the algebra and biology
end-of-course exams.
Compared to statewide data released by
the Texas Education Agency, 68 percent of
students in Texas passed the English reading
test, 55 percent passed English writing,
87 percent passed biology, 81 percent
passed world geography and 83 percent
passed algebra.
“For algebra 1, which is the first year of
the phase-in, students only needed to get
37 percent of the test correct to pass,” said
Ashley Clayburn, associate superintendent
for school improvement and accountability.
“However, with English 1 writing,
students needed 61 percent correct to pass.
We are seeing a change in passing standards,
which is why we could be seeing a
change in grades.”
For students in grades three through
eight, only raw scores—the number of
questions answered correctly—are available
because grading standards will not be
set until the fall. Final scores will not be
released to students until early 2013.
“The [Texas Education Agency] has
developed a four-year phase in cycle for
end-of-course exams,”Clayburn said. “The
purpose of this is to provide students and
educators with sufficient time to adjust to
the rigor of assessment and higher performance
expectations.”
To graduate from high school, Texas
students must pass 15 end-of-course
exams by the end of senior year. As the
new school year approaches, district
employees will be focusing on three main
areas to prepare students for the new tests:
data analysis, campus improvement plans
and the board goal-setting workshop.
Grading standards—tougher than they
ones this year—will be in place by the
time students take the tests next year, and
the end-of-course exams will count as 15
percent of a student’s final grade. However,
students who did not pass this year’s
1
2
3
4
The four STAAR stakes
tests can retake them over the summer,
Garcia said.
“Let’s say I met the passing standard,
but feel like I could do better,” he said.
“I can take it again to get a better score.
Students will have multiple opportunities
to retake these.”
End-of-course test scores count for 15 percenT of a student’s grade.
Students must pass 15 TesTs in grades nine through 11 to graduate.
Students must achieve a certain cumulaTive score in each of the
four content areas: English, math, science and social studies.
The cumulative score is found by multiplying the satisfactory score by the number of
tests administered in the four content areas.
Example: If 700 out of 1,000 is considered a satisfactory score on the three science tests,
a student would need to get a cumulative score of 2,100 (three assessments × 700 =
2,100) to graduate. A satisfactory score may be higher than the passing standard.
Based on his or her graduation plan, students must achieve the
passing sTandard or a predetermined minimum score on
eight to 15 EOC exams.
Ninth-grade students choose one of three graduation plans: Minimum, Recommended
or Distinguished. The programs differ in the number of required credits. The Minimum
graduation plan requires parent and administrator permission.
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Houston, TX 77040
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Source: Texas Education Agency
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