STAAR/EOC
Transitioning from TAKS…
A Clear Departure from TAKS…
• The philosophy of the STAAR/EOC assessment system is to test
content with a “fewer, deeper, clearer” focus.
– “Fewer” meaning approximately one third of the testable standards
deemed “readiness” standards will make up majority of a test.
– “Deeper” meaning content will be tested at a more rigorous cognitive
level.
– “Clearer” meaning there will be a clear distinction between the
weighting of “readiness” and “supporting” standards. Assessments will
emphasize “readiness” standards more heavily.
• Clear link to College and Career Readiness as evidenced by
performance on Algebra 2 EOC and English III assessments.
A Clear Departure from TAKS…
• Contain a greater number of items that have a higher cognitive
complexity.
• Items will more closely match the cognitive demand of the
TEKS.
• In reading, greater emphasis will be given to critical analysis
than literal understanding.
• In social studies, science and mathematics, process skills will be
addressed in context (at least 75% of items) rather than in
isolation which will allow for a more authentic assessment of
the content areas.
• In general, there will be more open-ended (griddable) items
which will require students to derive an answer without the
benefit of answer choices.
A Clear Departure from TAKS…
• Assessments will test “at grade level”.
• Assessment model distinguishes between readiness and
supporting standards.
– Readiness-TEKS considered critical for success in the current grade or
course and important for preparedness in subsequent grades or courses,
or college and career readiness at the higher grade levels. (Big Concepts)
– Supporting-TEKS that play a role in preparing students but not a central
role. (Narrowly Defined Ideas)
A Closer Look at Readiness and
Supporting Standards…
Released STAAR Items
Compared to TAKS…
TAKS Items Target a Single Standard…
Content Standard
3.1. Number, operation, and quantitative reasoning. The student
uses place value to communicate about increasingly large whole
numbers in verbal and written form, including money. The student
is expected to:
(C) determine the value of a collection of coins and bills.
3rd Grade TAKS Item, 3.1C
At least 75% of STAAR/EOC items will assess
both content and process standards…
Content Standard
3.1. Number, operation, and quantitative reasoning. The student
uses place value to communicate about increasingly large whole
numbers in verbal and written form, including money. The student
is expected to:
(C) determine the value of a collection of coins and bills.
Process Standard
3.14. Underlying processes and mathematical tools. The student
applies Grade 3 mathematics to solve problems connected to
everyday experiences and activities in and outside of school. The
student is expected to:
(A) Identify the mathematics in everyday situations.
3rd Grade STAAR Item, 3.1C and 3.14A
TAKS Items Target a Single Standard…
Content Standard
4.13 Probability and statistics. The student solves problems by
collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting sets of data.
The student is expected to:
(B) interpret bar graphs.
4th Grade TAKS Items, 4.13B
At least 75% of STAAR/EOC items will assess
both content and process standards…
Content Standard
4.13. Probability and statistics. The student solves problems by
collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting sets of data.
The student is expected to:
(B) interpret bar graphs.
Process Standard
4.14. Underlying processes and mathematical tools. The student
applies Grade 4 mathematics to solve problems connected to
everyday experiences and activities in and outside of school. The
student is expected to:
(B) solve problems that incorporate understanding the
problem, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and
evaluating the solution for reasonableness.
4th Grade STAAR Item, 4.13B and4.14B
TAKS Items Target a Single Standard…
Content Standard
6.5 Patterns, relationships, and algebraic thinking. The student
uses letters to represent an unknown in an equation. The student
is expected to:
(A) formulate an equation from a problem situation.
6th Grade TAKS item, 6.5A
At least 75% of STAAR/EOC items will assess
both content and process standards…
Content Standard
6.5. Patterns, relationships, and algebraic thinking. The student
uses letters to represent an unknown in an equation. The student
is expected to:
(A) formulate an equation from a problem situation.
Process Standard
6.12. Underlying processes and mathematical tools. The student
communicates about Grade 6 mathematics through informal and
mathematical language, representations, and models. The student
is expected to:
(A) communicate mathematical ideas using language,
efficient tools, appropriate units, and graphical, numerical,
physical, or algebraic mathematical models.
6th Grade STAAR Item, 6.5A and 6.12A
Preparing for STAAR/EOC
Changing ADULT behavior…
Critical Teacher Skills Needed in order to
prepare students for STAAR/EOC
• Distinguish between the Content and Cognitive expectations of
the TEKS.
• Use the CSCOPE Vertical Alignment Documents (VADs) to define
course or grade level curriculum specificity.
• Reconcile course sequences to local calendar.
• Use the CSCOPE Instructional Focus Documents (IFDs) to
identify and reconcile instructional discrepancies based on
curriculum specificity.
• Use CSCOPE Performance Indicators, Unit Tests and Effective
Questioning to plan and drive instruction.
• Evaluate and calibrate instructional resources to meet the
demands of the CSCOPE Instructional Focus Document (IFD).
Distinguishing Between Cognitive and
Content Expectations
Back to 4th Grade…
4.13. Probability and statistics. The student solves problems by
collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting sets of data.
The student is expected to:
(B) interpret bar graphs.
Cognitive Expectations:
What are the verbs that the student is responsible for doing?
solve, interpret
Content Expectation:
What is the BIG content idea?
bar graphs
Using Vertical Alignment Documents to
Define Course/Grade Specificity
From the 3rd-5th Vertical Alignment Document…
Using Vertical Alignment Documents to
Define Course/Grade Specificity
From the 3rd-5th Vertical Alignment Document…
The TEKS’ Cognitive Expectations are
specified on the Vertical Alignment
Documents. What are the Changes in
the Cognitive Specificity from one
grade level to the next?
Using Vertical Alignment Documents to
Define Course/Grade Specificity
From the 3rd-5th Vertical Alignment Document…
The TEKS’ Content Expectations are given further
specificity (bulleted items) on the Vertical Alignment
Documents. What are the changes in the Content
Specificity from one grade level to the next?
Reconciling the Year at a Glance
with the Local Calendar
The 4th Grade Math Year at a Glance…
The CSCOPE Year at a Glance is designed so that
approximately 25 instructional days are needed each
six weeks.
• How many days does the district calendar allow for
each six weeks?
• What days can not be counted as instructional days?
• What events does the district calendar not show that
rob instructional time?
• How will this affect instructional delivery?
• How can I make up for lost time?
Reconciling the Year at a Glance
with the Local Calendar
What are some things that rob instructional time?
• The short/long six weeks
• Assessment days counted as instructional days
– Regular assessments, six weeks tests, etc.
– Benchmarking
– TAKS/EOC
•
•
•
•
•
Early release days
Teacher leave days
Intersession days-only certain students are present
Extracurricular events
Local celebrations
The Year at a Glance Tool can be used to
create and format a grade level or course
sequence that reconciles to the local calendar.
The local Year at a Glance is formatted based
on parameters input for each six weeks. The
balance of days is shown for each six weeks,
each semester, and for the year so that
teachers and administrators can begin the
process of reconciling the calendar to the
instructional days needed.
Using Instructional Focus Documents to
Identify and Reconcile Discrepancies
Back to 4th Grade…Remember our standard about bar graphs?
4.13. Probability and statistics. The student solves problems by
collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting sets of data.
The student is expected to:
(B) interpret bar graphs.
An Instructional Focus Document packages TEKS together to
form a cohesive unit of related and supporting concepts.
Using Instructional Focus Documents to
Identify and Reconcile Discrepancies
Here is 4.13B as it appears on the Instructional Focus Document
Verbs (Cognitive Specificity)
Verbs (Cognitive Specificity)
Using Instructional Focus Documents to
Identify and Reconcile Discrepancies
Here is 4.13B as it appears on the Instructional Focus Document
Bulleted items
(Content Specificity)
Bulleted items
(Content Specificity)
Which
the Cognitive Focus
Specificities
(verbs) to
UsingofInstructional
Documents
areIdentify
being assessed?
and Reconcile Discrepancies
Which of the Content Specificities (bulleted
Here is 4.13B
as itare
appears
on assessed?
the Instructional Focus Document
items)
being
Remember the released
question that assesses 4.13B?
Using
Instructional
Focus
Documents
to
What would happen if a teacher failed to
Identify
and opportunities
Reconcile Discrepancies
include
instructional
for one of
the bulleted items, such as double bar graphs
to show data for two different groups?
Here is 4.13B as it appears on the Instructional Focus Document
Remember the released
question that assesses 4.13B?
Using Instructional Focus Documents to
Identify and Reconcile Discrepancies
Self-reflective practice of examining instruction against both
the cognitive and content specificity of the Instructional
Focus Documents.
• What might discrepancies look like?
– Missing - Something in the content specificity that is not
being addressed for the appropriate length of time or not
being addressed at all.
– Extraneous - Something that is being taught that is not in
either the cognitive or content specificities.
– Underdeveloped - Cognitive specificity that is not being
addressed at the appropriate level, or cognitive specificity
that is not being addressed at all.
An example from 8th Grade Math
Using Assessments to Plan and
Drive Instruction.
• Observation
– Informal evidence gathered or observed by the teacher to inform
instruction, plan interventions, and gauge student competency
– Fueled by student/teacher and student/student dialogue, and prompted
by facilitation questions
• Selected Response
– Multiple choice, matching, true/false, etc.
– Unit Assessments
• Constructed Response and Artifacts
– Evidence of student attainment of learning
– Performance Indicators
Evaluating and Calibrating
Instructional Resources
• Resources are evaluated to determine if students will be
working at the level of complexity described in the both the
Cognitive and Content specificities of the TEKS within an
bundled unit of instruction.
• Supplemental resources such as handouts, performance tasks,
textbook assignments or other instructional activities can
possibly be calibrated to meet cognitive and other content
specificities.
• Resources that do not meet content specificities or can not be
calibrated must be discarded.
Wrapping it up…
Preparing students for STAAR/EOC requires…
• Teachers to understand critical structures regarding the TEKS.
• Teachers to know and “drive their lane” of traffic.
• Teachers to reconcile course sequences with the time allocated
by the district calendar.
• Teachers to discover and remedy instructional discrepancies.
• Teachers to use assessment to not only evaluate students but
also drive instruction.
• Teachers to critically evaluate all instructional materials and
calibrate them as necessary.
• Teachers to become curriculum experts.