What Parents Need to Know

TABS (Texas Assessment of Basic Skills)

TEAMS (Texas Educational Assessment
of Minimum Skills)

TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills)

TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills)
 STAAR
(State of Texas Assessments of Academic
Readiness)
 Criterion-reference
test measuring the
state mandated curriculum (TEKS)
 Timed Test (Unlike TAKS)
 Passing Standard set by raw score
converted to a scale score
 ‘Met Standard’ (“Cut Score”)
established
by State Board of Education in Austin
What does TEKS stand for?
 TEKS
is the acronym for the
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.

The TEKS represent the basic
curriculum for each subject area
at each grade level in Texas.
What is the purpose of TEKS?
 The
TEKS outline the "scope and
sequence" of what students are
supposed to learn at each grade level.
The TEKS indicate what students
should learn and when they should
Learn it. (C& I on district website)

How do the TEKS relate to STAAR reporting
categories and the STAAR test?
The STAAR reporting categories are drawn
from the TEKS.
 Not all TEKS are tested in the yearly
STAAR
test.
 The STAAR test focuses on the TEKS that
the
state has deemed appropriate for pencil
paper tests.


Reporting Category 1: Understanding Across Genres The
student will demonstrate an ability to understand a variety
of written texts across reading genres.

Reporting Category 2: Understanding and Analysis of
Literary Texts The student will demonstrate an ability to
understand and analyze literary texts.

Reporting Category 3: Understanding and Analysis of
Informational Texts The student will demonstrate an
ability to understand and analyze informational texts.
See packet for a
complete reading
passage and questions
that are appropriate
for your child’s grade.
Notice
how long the passage is.
Building stamina is something
we work on in class.
Daily small group
interventions
Regrouping based on student’s
needs
Tutorials before school
Built in Enrichment Time

 Read
and discuss a variety of materials
with your child.
 Help your child to understand the
meaning of new words using context
clues.
 Ask who, what, when, where, and why
questions to help your child understand
the main idea, purpose, and implied
meaning of what is read.
READ
20 minutes per night
Increase
READING to 30 minutes per
night
Then
Increase READING 45 minutes
per night to build stamina!

Reporting Category 1:Numbers, Operations, and
Quantitative Reasoning
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
numbers, operations, and quantitative reasoning.

Reporting Category 2:Patterns, Relationships, and
Algebraic Reasoning
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
patterns, relationships, and algebraic reasoning.

Reporting Category 3:Geometry and Spatial
Reasoning
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
geometry and spatial reasoning.
 Reporting
Category 4:Measurement
The student will demonstrate an understanding
of the concepts and uses of measurement.
 Reporting
Category 5:Probability and Statistics
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
probability and statistics.
See packet for a
sample math problems
and questions that are
appropriate for 5th
grade.
Daily small group
interventions
Regrouping based on student’s
needs
Enrichment Time
Morning Tutorials

 When
your child gets “stuck” on a
problem, don’t just provide a solution.
 Instead,
suggest trying again or using
another strategy to find the answer.

Let your child know that he/she can be
successful in mathematics.

Be sure your child is fact proficient

that is, they know their math facts.

Reporting Category 1: Matter and Energy
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
the properties of matter & energy and their
interactions.

Reporting Category 2: Force, Motion and Energy
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
force, motion, and energy and their relationships.

Reporting Category 3: Earth and Space
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
components, cycles, patterns, and natural events
of Earth and Space systems.
 Reporting
Category 4: Organisms and
Environments
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
the structures and functions of living organisms and
their interdependence on each other and their
environment.

These skills will not be listed under a reporting category, but will
be incorporated into 40% of the test questions in reporting
categories 1-4 and will be identified along with content
standards.




The student conducts classroom and outdoor
investigations following home and school safety
procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical
practices.
The student uses scientific methods during lab and
outdoor investigations.
The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem
solving to make informed decisions.
The student knows how to use a variety of tools and
methods to conduct science inquiry.
See packet for a
sample science
problems and questions
that are appropriate
for 5th grade.
STAAR Modified
STAAR Modified is an alternative assessment for students receiving Special Education
services who need extensive modifications and accommodations to classroom
instruction and assignments in order to show progress in the grade-level TEKS.
Students must meet participation requirements for STAAR Modified.
Test Format:
* Reduced number of questions tested
* Increased point size of text and graphics
* Simplify complex sentence structure and non- subject vocabulary
* 3 answer choices instead of 4
* Increased white space to eliminate distractions
* ( Reading) a pre-reading text is provided to explain difficult concepts, introduce
unfamiliar vocabulary and proper nouns. It’s read by the teacher before the
selection is read.
* ( Reading) Reading selections are segmented and questions associated with each
section immediately follow
Spring 2014 is the last year for STAAR Modified. Updates will be made as we await
further information from the State.
 TEA
has designated 5th grade, 8th grade, and
high school as SSI years
 5th graders must pass math, reading, science,
and social studies classes
 5th graders must pass math STAAR and
reading STAAR
 3 opportunities to pass math and/or reading
STAAR
 No
appointments on test days:
April 1 = math STAAR
 April 2 = reading STAAR
 April 23 = science STAAR

 Good
night’s sleep
 Breakfast
 Make a special effort to praise your
child’s effort and hard work. Let them
know you believe in them and love them
unconditionally.
Thanks for attending
our
STAAR Parent
Information
Meeting!!!