US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 1
Reporting
Source
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: Infantile Paralysis, March of Dimes, grassroots, Jonas Salk, Albert Sabin
Dual Coding: yes
Content: Science, Technology, and Society:
Cognitive Skills: apply, make generalization,
explain how specific needs result in scientific
infer
discoveries and technological innovations in
agriculture, the military, and medicine,
including vaccines
Process: 29B (B) analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Supporting?
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%
A/F
12.43
B/G
3.56
C/H
D/J
*81.08
2.88
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Analysis of Distracters
Students might not understand the difference between vaccines and
antibiotics
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
Students need to be provided opportunities to connect what they know to a reading passage in order to develop the ability to
make inferences. This is a skill that is also used in their ELAR classes.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Explain the impact of science and technology on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS 12A
Item: 2
Reporting
Source:
When Taught?
Category: 2
Vocabulary: Dust Bowl, flash flooding, deforestation, suburban development
Dual Coding: no
Content: (12)
Geography. The student Cognitive Level: remember
understands the impact of geographic factors
on major events. The student is expected to:
(A) analyze the impact of physical and human
geographic factors on the settlement of the
Great Plains, the Klondike Gold Rush, the
Panama Canal, the Dust Bowl, and the levee
failure in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina
Readiness/
Supporting?
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
C/H
Regional Data
%%
%
2.34
*85.94
8.69
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
Students might recall the winds that carried the dust storms throughout the
Great Plains.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
D/J
2.98
Instructional Implications:
Student must know the causes of the Dust Bowl. Teachers might find multiple ways to assess students’ mastery over the causes
of the Dust Bowl.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level I – Identify significant individuals, events, and issues in U.S. History
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.17D
Item: 3
Reporting
Source
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: Food Stamp Act, Housing and Urban Development Act, Child Nutrition Act, cabinet-level agencies, expenditures,
alleviate
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: yes
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
Region
al Data
%%
%
3.08
10.62
C/H
D/J
5.53
*80.69
Content: 17D Economics. The student understands
the economic effects of World War II and the Cold
War. The student is expected to: (D) identify actions
of government and the private sector such as the
Great Society, affirmative action, and Title IX to
create economic opportunities for citizens and
analyze the unintended consequences of each
Process: (B) analyze information by sequencing,
categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect
relationships, comparing and contrasting, finding the
main idea, summarizing, making generalizations,
making predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Supporting?
Supporting
Campus/ District
Analysis of Distracters
Data
Cognitive Level: identify cause-and-effect
relationships, draw conclusion, infer
Students may have become fixated on the term federal and identified the
programs as federal
Students who did not select this answer may not have been able to define
“alleviate”
Instructional Implications:
Students must know that the 3 pieces of legislation were similar. A broad cross-curricular vocabulary is necessary to have
success on STAAR. Teacher might find ways to assess this content in a variety of ways, including having students explain who
these programs were designed to help.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Explain the historical development of reform movements, court cases, and legislation that expanded the civil and
political rights of citizens.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
2015 STAAR
TEKS US.17A, 29B
Item: 4
Reporting
Source
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: dive bombers, War Production Board, closed-shop, collective-bargaining, labor unions, Manhattan Project
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 17A: Economics. The student
Cognitive Level: analyze and interpret
understands the economic effects of World War II
and the Cold War. The student is expected to:
(A)
describe the economic effects of World
War II on the home front such as the
end of the Great Depression, rationing,
and increased opportunity for women
and minority employment
(H) use appropriate skills to analyze and interpret
social studies information such as maps, graphs,
presentations, speeches, lectures, and political
cartoons
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Correct
Answer
Regional
Data %
A/F
B/G
*74.3
16.29
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/ District
Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
The picture of a woman installing a spark-plug probably distracted students
that did not read carefully. They might have identified this as a Rosie the
Riveter image as well, which was produced by the War Production Board.
C/H
4.1
D/J
5.21
Instructional Implications:
Students need to be interpreting pictures and graphs in class. The more they interpret pictures, the better they become. This is
also an application of skills, which the EOC tests.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze issues related to the development of the U.S. economic system.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.10C
Item: 5
Reporting
Source:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: spike, impeded, imposed, Middle East, fuel efficiency
Dual Coding: No
Content: 10C: History. The student
Cognitive Level: remember
understands the impact of political,
economic, and social factors in the U.S. role in
the world from the 1970s through 1990. The
student is expected to:
I compare the impact of energy on the
American way of life over time
Process:
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
Regional Data
%
6.17
7.58
*78.31
7.87
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Analysis of Distracters: Students seem to be guessing evenly if they did not
know the correct answer.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
Students need to understand the connection between oil the American way of life and how foreign affairs can impact the cost
and supply of oil.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level I: Identify major individuals, events, and issues in U.S. History
Level II: Explain the impact of science and technology on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.12B, 29B
Item: 6
Reporting
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Category: 2
Vocabulary: Puerto Rico, popular vote, commonwealth, ceded, Spanish-American War, annexation, Fourteen Points
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 12B Geography. The student
Cognitive Skill: categorize, infer, draw
understands the impact of geographic factors conclusion
on major events. The student is expected to:
(B) identify and explain reasons for changes
in political boundaries such as those resulting
from statehood and international conflicts.
Process: 29B (B) analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
C/H
10.11
*58.64
13.97
D/J
17.17
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Analysis of Distracters
Students may not understand the difference of a state and a territory.
Students were able to identify the word annexation and associate it with
their knowledge on Puerto Rico
Students saw Fourteen Points and made the connection to WWI because
1917 is in the question.
Instructional Implications:
Students retain information best when they have to earn it or discover it when facilitated by a teacher. The low % of correct
answers suggests that the necessary rigor was not applied during instruction. Students must be able to determine which
answer choice fits best with the given information. These are the same skills practiced in ELAR classes.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze geographic and cultural influences on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.7G
Item: 7
Reporting
Category: 1
Source/Genre:
Vocabulary: Navajo soldiers, Allied, encoding, intelligence
When Taught?
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: No
Content: 7G History. The student
understands the domestic and international
impact of U.S. participation in World War II.
The student is expected to:
Cognitive Level: remembering
(G) explain the home front and how
American patriotism inspired exceptional
actions by citizens and military personnel,
including high levels of military enlistment;
volunteerism; the purchase of war bonds;
Victory Gardens; the bravery and
contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen, the
Flying Tigers, and the Navajo Code Talkers;
and opportunities and obstacles for women
and ethnic minorities
Process:
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Correct
Regional Data
Analysis of Distracters
Answer
%%
A/F
5.47
B/G
11.76
C/H
*73.91
D/J
8.8
Providing intelligence on enemy positions is distracting answer choice
Instructional Implications:
Navajo Code Talkers is specifically listed in the TEKS and ‘encoding’ was used in the correct answer. More students should have
gotten this correct but some of the answer choices were similar.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Describe the impact of significant individuals, organizations, and policies on U.S. History.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.28B, 29H
Item: 8
Reporting
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: modern innovations,
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 28 Science, technology, and society. Cognitive Skills: remember, analyze,
The student understands the influence of
interpret
scientific discoveries, technological
innovations, and the free enterprise system
on the standard of living in the United States.
The student is expected to:
B: explain how space technology and
exploration improve the quality of life
Process: (H) use appropriate skills to analyze
and interpret social studies information such
as maps, graphs, presentations, speeches,
lectures, and political cartoons
Readiness/
Supporting
Supporting?
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Campus/
District Data
Analysis of Distracters
A/F
13.02
Not able to connect the image to space technology
B/G
7.78
C/H
*66.37
D/J
12.71
Not able to connect the image to space technology
Instructional Implications:
Many connections must be made to answer this correctly. The information is presented in a format that is probably not used
very often in the classroom setting. Students must practice interpreting information from graphs at least 2 times per week.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Explain the impact of science and technology on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.14B, 29B
Item: 9
Reporting
Source/Genre
Category: 2
Vocabulary: hereby, conserve, therein, unimpaired
When Taught?
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 14 Geography. The student
understands the relationship between
population growth and modernization on the
physical environment. The student is
expected to:
Cognitive Skills: finding the main idea,
making generalizations
B: identify the roles of governmental entities
and private citizens in managing the
environment such as the establishment of the
National Park System, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), and the Endangered
Species Act
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Process: 29B: analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Supporting
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters: If the students did not know the correct answer,
District Data
they were guessing.
A/F
4.49
B/G
*89.55
C/H
4.07
D/J
1.83
Instructional Implications:
The most difficult aspect of the question is the paragraph the students are required to interpret. Use the introduction as a
guide and introduce your students to as many primary sources as possible to prepare them for these type of questions.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze geographic and cultural influences on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.7D
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 10
Reporting
Category: 1
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Vocabulary: Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, violated
Dual Coding: No
Content: 7D, The student understands the
domestic and international impact of U.S.
participation in World War II. The student is
expected to:
Cognitive Skill: remembering, drawing
conclusions, cause-and-effect
(D) analyze major issues of World War II,
including the Holocaust; the internment of
German, Italian, and Japanese Americans
and Executive Order 9066; and the
development of conventional and atomic
weapons
Process:
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters: The even spread of wrong answers indicates that
students were guessing if they did not know the correct answer.
A/F
*77.03
B/G
8.61
*C/H
6.12
D/J
8.13
Instructional Implications:
Students had to know the rights listed in the 4th & 14th Amendments to make the connection to the rights taken away by
putting citizens in internment camps.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level I – Identify significant individuals, events, and issues in U.S. History.
Level II – Analyze the domestic and international impact of U.S. participation in wars and international conflicts
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.27A, 29H
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 11
Reporting
Source/Genre:
Category: 4
Vocabulary: patent, affect, assembly line,
When Taught?
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content; 27A, The student understands the
impact of science, technology, and the free
enterprise system on the economic
development of the United States. The
student is expected to:
Cognitive Level: interpret, remember
(A) explain the effects of scientific discoveries
and technological innovations such as electric
power, telephone and satellite
communications, petroleum-based products,
steel production, and computers on the
economic development of the United States
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
Regional Data
%%
3.4
18.87
Process: 29H, use appropriate skills to
analyze and interpret social studies
information such as maps, graphs,
presentations, speeches, lectures, and
political cartoons
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
Assembly line is often the most taught aspect of the Industrial Revolution in
US History.
C/H
7.79
D/J
*69.89
Instructional Implications:
In order to answer this question, students need to make the connection between electric light and longer working hours.
Students need to understand the impacts of electric power.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Explain the impact of science and technology on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.11A, 29H
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 12
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: enduring & evil-doers
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 11A, The student understands the
Cognitive Level: interpret, infer, &
emerging political, economic, and social
remembering
issues of the United States from the 1990s
into the 21st century. The student is expected
to:
(A) describe U.S. involvement in world
affairs, including the end of the Cold
War, the Persian Gulf War, the
Balkans Crisis, 9/11, and the global
War on Terror
29H, use appropriate skills to analyze and
interpret social studies information such as
maps, graphs, presentations, speeches,
lectures, and political cartoons
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Correct
Regional Data
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
Answer
%%
District Data
A/F
7.4
B/G
*82.65
C/H
8.02
D/J
1.89
Instructional Implications:
This question relates to the skills found in figure 19 of the ELAR TEKS. Students need to read and interpret passages during
instruction. Students also need to learn how to apply their content knowledge to reading passages and make connections.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Describe the role and influence of the United States on the international community
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.5A
Item: 13
Reporting
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Category:
Vocabulary: Progressive Era, state-level, political reformers, campaign platforms, regulatory legislation, direct democracy, &
judicial review
Dual Coding: No
Content: 5A, The student understands the
Cognitive Level: remembering
effects of reform and third-party movements
in the early 20th century. The student is
expected to:
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
Regional Data
%%
15.44
37.13
(A) evaluate the impact of Progressive Era
reforms, including initiative, referendum,
recall, and the passage of the 16th, 17th,
18th, and 19th amendments
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters: This is one of the lowest scoring questions on the
District Data
EOC and it is not dual coded.
Students probably associated the Progressive Era with reform. This answer
choice includes the words: influence, business, and regulatory. Students may
not have understood what this answer choice was saying.
C/H
*38.16
D/J
9.02
Instructional Implications:
Students had to make the connection to the 17th Amendment and the direct election of Senators. There is much information
for students to learn in TEKS 5A. The amendments are tested heavily.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level I – Recognize major historical points of reference
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.17E, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 14
Reporting
Category: 4
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Vocabulary: tariffs, quotas, & trade barriers
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 17E, Economics. The student
\
understands the economic effects of World
War II and the Cold War. The student is
expected to:
(E) describe the dynamic relationship
between U.S. international trade policies and
the U.S. free enterprise system such as the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC) oil embargo, the General
Agreement of Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and
the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA).
Process: 29B analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Cognitive Level: finding the main idea, infer,
& draw conclusions
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
C/H
Regional Data
%%
*75.42
2.87
15.37
Campus/
District Data
Analysis of Distracters
These students knew it was a trade agreement but didn’t know the correct
name
D/J
6.27
Instructional Implications:
This is another example of students being required to read, interpret, and draw a conclusion from a passage. Students need to
practice these skills in class.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze issues related to the development of the U.S. economic system.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.2D
Item: 15
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: Sputnik 1, Soviet Union, Dual Coding: No
Content: 2D, The student understands
Cognitive Level: remembering cause and
traditional historical points of reference in
effect
U.S. history from 1877 to the present. The
student is expected to:
(D) explain the significance of the following
years as turning points: 1898 (SpanishAmerican War), 1914-1918 (World War I),
1929 (the Great Depression begins), 19391945 (World War II), 1957 (Sputnik launch
ignites U.S.-Soviet space race), 1968-1969
(Martin Luther King Jr. assassination and U.S.
lands on the moon), 1991 (Cold War ends),
2001 (terrorist attacks on World Trade Center
and the Pentagon), and 2008 (election of first
black president, Barack Obama).
Readiness/
Supporting
Supporting?
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Campus/
District Data
Analysis of Distracters: If the students did not know the question, they
were guessing. “B” is the only answer choice that comes close to the
correct answer.
A/F
9.13
B/G
*79.23
C/H
4.36
D/J
7.19
Instructional Implications:
Students need to know how the U.S. reacted to the Soviet Union launching Sputnik including the urgency to compete with the
Soviet Union.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze the domestic and international impact of U.S. participation in wars and international conflicts.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.9D
Item: 16
Reporting
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Category:1
Vocabulary: Civil Rights movement, Black Panther Party, tactics, equality, injustice
Dual Coding: No
Content: 9D, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering, identify
.
impact of the American civil rights movement. similarities and differences
The student is expected to:
compare and contrast the approach taken by
some civil rights groups such as the Black
Panthers with the nonviolent approach of
Martin Luther King Jr
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Correct
Regional Data
Analysis of Distracters: Students that did not know the answer were
Answer
%%
guessing.
A/F
7.54
B/G
1.97
C/H
*85.56
D/J
4.89
Instructional Implications:
This TEKS is best taught by having the students research the civil rights groups and form a Venn diagram illustrating the
similarities and differences of the groups.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level I – Identify significant individuals, events, and issues in U.S. History.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.19D, 29D
Item: 17
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 3
Vocabulary: Lee Iacocca, President Jimmy Carter, Chrysler Corporation Loan Guarantee Act of 1979, bailout funds, debt
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 19D, The student understands
Cognitive Level: interpret, find the main
changes over time in the role of government.
idea, & infer
The student is expected to:
(D) discuss the role of contemporary
government legislation in the private and
public sectors such as the Community
Reinvestment Act of 1977, USA PATRIOT Act
of 2001, and the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009
Process: 29D, use the process of historical
inquiry to research, interpret, and use
multiple types of sources of evidence
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Analysis of Distracters
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
A/F
*74.8
B/G
8.17
C/H
3.38
D/J
13.57
Instructional Implications:
This is an example of a “such as” question. It is not directly mentioned in the TEKS. This is difficult for teachers and students
because TEA can choose any example of government legislation in the public and private sectors.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze issues related to the development of the U.S. economic system.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.16B, 29H
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 18
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: bread line, military pensions, agricultural exports, Selective Service Act
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
C/H
Content: 16B, The student understands
significant economic developments between
World War I and World War II. The student is
expected to:
(B) identify the causes of the Great
Depression, including the impact of tariffs on
world trade, stock market speculation, bank
failures, and the monetary policy of the
Federal Reserve System
Regional Data
%%
7.25
8.76
13.47
Cognitive Skill: interpret & draw conclusion
Process: 29H use appropriate skills to analyze
and interpret social studies information such
as maps, graphs, presentations, speeches,
lectures, and political cartoons
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
The date on the picture is before the Selective Service Act but students saw
long line of men and made an assumption. They did not read the date
carefully enough.
D/J
*70.45
Instructional Implications:
Students need to interpret pictures as a part of their instruction. Teach students strategies for interpreting pictures.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze issues related to the development of the U.S. economic system.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.8A
Item: 19
Reporting
Source/Genre:
Category: 1
Vocabulary: Berlin Airlift, bypass, blockade, refugees, Nazi Party
When Taught?
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: No
Content: 8A, The student understands the
impact of significant national and
international decisions and conflicts in the
Cold War on the United States. The student is
expected to:
Cognitive Skill: remembering
(A) describe U.S. responses to Soviet
aggression after World War II, including the
Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Berlin
airlift, and John F. Kennedy's role in the
Cuban Missile Crisis
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
*75.03
9.01
4.27
11.61
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
Not the best answer. These students did not have the depth of knowledge
to understand that the U.S. did not want another war in Europe. And they
might have identified the arms race as another part of the Cold War with the
Soviet Union
Instructional Implications:
Students need to understand the reasons for the Berlin airlift and why the U.S. was so committed to Berlin. This requires a
strong depth of knowledge.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Describe the role and influence of the United States in the international community
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.5B, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 20
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: carcasses, condemned, tubercular, Upton Sinclair, The Jungle
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 5B, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: cause-and-effect
effects of reform and third-party movements
relationships & drawing conclusions
in the early 20th century. The student is
expected to:
B: evaluate the impact of muckrakers and
reform leaders such as Upton Sinclair, Susan
B. Anthony, Ida B. Wells, and W. E. B. DuBois
on American society
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
*73.59
14.41
7.91
4.02
Process: (B) analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Supporting
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters:
District Data
The CDC was not founded until 1946.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
Students need to understand the relationship between Upton Sinclair’s book and the creation of the Food and Drug
Administration.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Describe the impact of significant individuals, organizations, and policies on U.S. History.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.13A
Item: 21
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 2
Vocabulary: Great Plains, precious metals, federal land grants
Dual Coding: No
Content: 13A: The student understands the
Cognitive Level: remembering
causes and effects of migration and
immigration on American society. The student
is expected to:
(A) analyze the causes and effects of
changing demographic patterns resulting
from migration within the United States,
including western expansion, rural to urban,
the Great Migration, and the Rust Belt to the
Sun Belt
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Correct
Regional Data
Analysis of Distracters
Answer
%%
A/F
15.83
Students thought buffalo instead of land brought settlers to the plains
B/G
7.12
C/H
*69.3
D/J
7.67
Instructional Implications:
Students need to understand the effects of the Homestead Act signed into law in 1862.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze geographic and cultural influences on the United States
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.4A, 29H
Item: 22
Reporting
Category: 1
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Vocabulary: USS Maine, Havana Harbor, Treaty of Paris, Dollar Diplomacy, Latin America, acquisitions, imperial power
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 4A, The student understands the
emergence of the United States as a world
power between 1898 and 1920. The student
is expected to:
A: explain why significant events, policies,
and individuals such as the Spanish-American
War, U.S. expansionism, Henry Cabot Lodge,
Alfred Thayer Mahan, Theodore Roosevelt,
Sanford B. Dole, and missionaries moved the
United States into the position of a world
power
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
Regional Data
%%
10.31
7.46
Process:
(H) use appropriate skills to analyze and
interpret social studies information such as
maps, graphs, presentations, speeches,
lectures, and political cartoons
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
Cognitive Level: interpret & draw
conclusions
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
C/H
16.75
Students need to know that the U.S. became a world power after the
Spanish-American War. Students identified the words territorial acquisitions
and stopped reading there.
D/J
*65.36
Instructional Implications:
This is another “such as” question but the information tested was listed in the TEKS. Students need to relate the sinking of the
Maine to the Spanish-American War because it is not listed in the question.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze the domestic and international impact of U.S. participation in wars and international conflicts.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.11E, 29B
Item: 24
Reporting
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: founders, Barack Obama, naturalized immigrants, multilingual ballots, recounts, presidential campaign
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH. 19C, 29H
Item: 23
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 3
Vocabulary: Teapot Dome scandal, Washington Conference, Prohibition, Communists, & Cabinet Member
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 19C The student understands
Cognitive Skill: interpret, infer & draw
changes over time in the role of government.
conclusion
The student is expected to:
(C) describe the effects of political scandals,
including Teapot Dome, Watergate, and Bill
Clinton's impeachment, on the views of U.S.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
citizens concerning trust in the federal
government and its leaders
Process: 29H use appropriate skills to analyze
and interpret social studies information such
as maps, graphs, presentations, speeches,
lectures, and political cartoons
Readiness/
Supporting
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
Correct
Regional Data
Answer
%%
A/F
6.11
B/G
13.81
C/H
20.74
D/J
*59.25
Instructional Implications:
This question has a difficult presentation for students because they have to carefully read 4 headlines and relate the headline to
what they remember about the Teapot Dome scandal. Then students must remember that the result of the Teapot Dome
scandal was. Interpreting headlines is a great activity to do in class. The teacher can bring a newspaper of students can find the
headlines online and be asked to interpret what the headlines mean. This webpage would be a good resource in this activity.
http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Describe the impact of significant individuals, organizations, and policies on U.S. History.
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 11E, The student understands the
emerging political, economic, and social
issues of the United States from the 1990s
into the 21st century. The student is expected
to:
(E) discuss the historical significance of the
2008 presidential election
Cognitive Skill: finding the main idea &
drawing conclusion
Process: 29 (B) analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusion
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Correct
Regional Data
Analysis of Distracters
Answer
%%
A/F
*83.08
B/G
7.83
C/H
2.38
D/J
6.65
Instructional Implications:
This event happened during the life of the students. Most answered correctly. Have the students create a list of 4 events in
U.S. history that led to Barack Obama being elected president. The students debate the 4 events in an elimination style
tournament to determine the event they think had the greatest impact on Obama being elected president.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Explain the historical development of reform movements, court cases, and legislation that expanded the civil and
political rights of citizens
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.20A
Item: 25
Reporting
Category: 3
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Vocabulary: War Powers Resolution, Supreme Court, deployment, combat forces, declaration of war, Middle East, Israel,
executive branch, Korean and Vietnam War, chief executive, international tribunal
Dual Coding: No
Content: 20A The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering
changing relationships among the three
branches of the federal government. The
student is expected to:
(A) describe the impact of events such as the
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and the War Powers
Act on the relationship between the
legislative and executive branches of
government
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
31.78
B/G
C/H
D/J
17.6
*40.51
9.95
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Analysis of Distracters: This question resulted in a minority of the students
getting the correct answers.
Students must have thought the Supreme Court checked the power of the
executive branch in this way
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
Students need to know why the War Powers Act was needed. Why is it important? What could happen without it? These are
questions that students need to explore. This question isn’t dual coded but students would benefit from this type of instruction
when choosing an answer.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Apply understanding of U.S. constitutional principles to major events in US history.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.13B, 29B
Item: 26
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 2
Vocabulary: Poverty, Famine, Political oppression, Catholic, Urban, Bracero, Chinese Exclusion Act, Russian radicals, Irish,
immigrated
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 13B, The student understands the
causes and effects of migration and
immigration on American society. The student
is expected to
(B) analyze the causes and effects of
changing demographic patterns resulting
from legal and illegal immigration to the
United States
Cognitive Skill: identifying cause-and-effect
relationships, infer, & draw conclusion.
Process: 29B, (B) analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Correct
Answer
A/F
Regional Data
%%
24.56
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
Bracero program is a series of laws and agreements between Mexico and the
U.S. in 1942 that allowed temporary contract laborers into the U.S.;
possibility that students associate Hispanic immigrants with being catholic.
B/G
12.5
C/H
8.64
D/J
*54.23
Instructional Implications:
This chart is probably one that students do not see very often in the classroom. This probably contributed to the low % of
correct answers. Use a graph similar to this one in class at least once a week so that students become familiar with the format.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze geographic and cultural influences on the United States
Level III – Evaluate historical perspectives on major events and issues in U.S. History.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.28A
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 27
Reporting
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: hybrid cars, household, carpools
Dual Coding: No
Content: 28A, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering
influence of scientific discoveries,
technological innovations, and the free
enterprise system on the standard of living in
the United States. The student is expected to:
(A) analyze how scientific discoveries,
technological innovations, and the application
of these by the free enterprise system,
including those in transportation and
communication, improve the standard of
living in the United States
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Correct
Regional Data
Analysis of Distracters:
Answer
%%
A/F
3.8
B/G
1.35
C/H
*91.73
D/J
3.1
Instructional Implications:
This is one of the highest scoring items on the assessment. The content is very real to their life.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – explain the impact of science and technology on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.16C, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 28
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: Repatriation, excerpt, deportation, repatriation, implement, & communist
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 16C, The student understands
Cognitive Skill: finding the main idea, infer,
significant economic developments between
& draw conclusion
World War I and World War II. The student is
expected to:
© analyze the effects of the Great
Depression on the U.S. economy and society
such as widespread unemployment and
deportation and repatriation of people of
European and Mexican heritage and others
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
5.44
21.34
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
Students related this answer to Americans put in internment camps in
WWII
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
C/H
*61.38
D/J
11.77
Instructional Implications:
This is another example of an ELAR item on a social studies assessment. Students need to be reading outside the textbook in
class so they can practice determining the main idea of passages.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – Analyze geographic and cultural influences on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.9F
Item: 29
Reporting
Category: 1
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Vocabulary: Civil Rights Act of 1964, Inadequate, urban
Dual Coding: No
Content: 9F, The student understands the
impact of the American civil rights movement.
The student is expected to:
Cognitive Skill: remembering
(F) describe presidential actions and
congressional votes to address minority rights
in the United States, including desegregation
of the armed forces, the Civil Rights acts of
1957 and 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of
1965
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
Regional Data
%%
4.21
22.41
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Analysis of Distracters
Students might have seen the word “unequal” and answered quickly
without reading the entire passage
C/H
3.32
D/J
*70.01
Instructional Implications:
Students need to be able to explain what the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protected.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – explain the historical development of reform movements, court cases, and legislations that expanded the civil and
political rights of citizens
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.9H, 29B
Item: 30
Reporting
Category: 1
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Vocabulary: Poll taxes, Gerrymandering, Voter intimidation, electronic ballots, congressional districts, implementation, &
lobbying
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 9H, The student understands the
impact of the American civil rights movement.
The student is expected to:
Cognitive Skill:
(H) evaluate changes and events in the
United States that have resulted from the civil
rights movement, including increased
participation of minorities in the political
process
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
A/F
*62.55
B/G
16.78
Electronic ballots are in the news. This might have distracted students.
C/H
7.5
D/J
13.09
Instructional Implications:
The students needed in depth knowledge to answer this question correctly. The students need to know why minorities
increased their participation in the political process.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – explain the historical development of reform movements, court cases, and legislations that expanded the civil and
political rights of citizens
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.8B
Item: 31
Reporting
Category: 1
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Vocabulary: McCarthyism, U.S. Communist Party, Recruitment, U.S. military branches, diplomats, dissenting, & political
viewpoints
Dual Coding: No
Content: 8B, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering
impact of significant national and
international decisions and conflicts in the
Cold War on the United States. The student is
expected to:
(B) describe how Cold War tensions were
intensified by the arms race, the space race,
McCarthyism, and the House Un-American
Activities Committee (HUAC), the findings of
which were confirmed by the Venona Papers
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Correct
Regional Data
Analysis of Distracters
Answer
%%
A/F
6.84
B/G
*74.31
C/H
9.59
D/J
9.16
Instructional Implications:
Students need to be able to explain what caused McCarthyism and the climate that created it.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level I – identify significant individuals, events, and issues in U.S. history
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.2B, 29H
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 32
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: Child Workers, Progressive Era, Great Depression, Roaring Twenties, Cold War
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 2B, The student understands
Cognitive Level: interpret, draw conclusion
traditional historical points of reference in
U.S. history from 1877 to the present. The
student is expected to:
(B) identify the major eras in U.S. history
from 1877 to the present and describe their
defining characteristics
Process: 29H, use appropriate skills to
analyze and interpret social studies
information such as maps, graphs,
presentations, speeches, lectures, and
political cartoons
Readiness/
Supporting?
Readiness
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
*48.57
35
Campus/
District Data
Analysis of Distracters
There is no date on the poster. Students saw child workers and assumed it
was the Great Depression.
C/H
9.43
D/J
6.94
Instructional Implications:
Students need to practice interpreting images. The Library of Congress has an excellent website to help teachers find these
documents. www.loc.gov
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – explain the historical development of reform movements, court cases, and legislations that expanded the civil and
political rights of citizens
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.25A, 29B
Item: 33
Reporting
Source/Genre
Category: 2
Vocabulary: rock ‘n’ roll, advent, stemming, lament, fate, offspring
When Taught?
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 25A, The student understands the
relationship between the arts and the times
during which they were created. The student
is expected to:
(A) describe how the characteristics and
issues in U.S. history have been reflected in
various genres of art, music, film, and
literature
Cognitive Skill: finding the main idea, infer,
& draw conclusion
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
Regional Data
%%
14.59
31.48
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Analysis of Distracters
Students might know that Nat King Cole was an African American musician,
which caused them to associate this passage with the Freedom Rides
C/H
*46.87
D/J
6.99
Instructional Implications:
This is a supporting standard on the impacts of art, music, and literature on the time they existed. It is possible that this TEKS
was not taught to the needed level. Students need to be taught to find a date on any passage that they read. This is another
example of an ELAR question on a social studies assessment. How often do students interpret passages in your class?
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level III – apply content knowledge in multiple context to make historical connections and evaluate change over time.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.25B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 34
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 2
Vocabulary: cause-and-effect, Darwinism, Prohibition, Treaty of Versailles, implementation, New Deal, Harlem Renaissance,
Civil Rights movement, fascism, & Red Scare
Dual Coding: No
Content: 25B, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: determine cause-and-effect,
relationship between the arts and the times
remembering
during which they were created. The student
is expected to:
(B) describe both the positive and negative
impacts of significant examples of cultural
movements in art, music, and literature such
as Tin Pan Alley, the Harlem Renaissance, the
Beat Generation, rock and roll, the Chicano
Mural Movement, and country and western
music on American society
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
A/F
8.2
B/G
19.14
C/H
*59.53
D/J
13.06
Instructional Implications:
This question requires students to read each possible answer multiple times. This usually creates lower %s of correct answers.
It is not a dual coded question but it requires great thought and knowledge on the Harlem Renaissance to answer correctly.
Students need to practice determining cause-and-effect during instruction.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – describe the impact of significant individuals, organizations, and policies on U.S. history.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.1B, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 35
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: President Richard Nixon, executive privilege, classified documents, Pentagon Papers, Vietnam, U.S. Supreme
Court
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 1B, The student understands the
Cognitive Skills: finding the main idea, infer,
principles included in the Celebrate Freedom
& draw a conclusion
Week program. The student is expected to:
(B) analyze and evaluate the application of
these founding principles to historical events
in U.S. history
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Supporting
Supporting?
Correct
Regional Data
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
Answer
%%
District Data
A/F
23.11
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery. This is a large % of students that
applied it to this assessment item.
B/G
6.77
C/H
8.29
D/J
*61.75
Instructional Implications:
Content is very important on the EOC but how important is it for a student to be able to read at a high level and have a large
vocabulary? Students must know the power of the 1st Amendment and how it can be applied.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – apply understanding of U.S. constitutional principles to major events in U.S. History.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.27A
Item: 36
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: satellite technology, U.S. economy, private funding, research institutions, telecommunications, transoceanic air
travel, facilitating, fuel efficiency
Dual Coding: No
Content: 27A, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering
impact of science, technology, and the free
enterprise system on the economic
development of the United States. The
student is expected to:
(A) explain the effects of scientific discoveries
and technological innovations such as electric
power, telephone and satellite
communications, petroleum-based products,
steel production, and computers on the
economic development of the United States
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
A/F
17.13
“G” is the best answer
B/G
*71.54
C/H
4.83
D/J
6.46
Instructional Implications:
Students need to make the connection between satellites and telecommunications.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – explain the impact of science and technology on the United States
2015 STAAR
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
TEKS USH.21A, 29H
Item: 37
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 3
Vocabulary: criminal activity, probable cause, search warrant, obtained and executed, & plea entered
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 21A, The student understands the
Cognitive Skills: apply
impact of constitutional issues on American
society. The student is expected to:
(A) analyze the effects of landmark U.S.
Supreme Court decisions, including Brown v.
Board of Education, and other U.S. Supreme
Court decisions such as Plessy v. Ferguson,
Hernandez v. Texas, Tinker v. Des Moines,
Wisconsin v. Yoder, and White v. Regester
Process: 29H, use appropriate skills to
analyze and interpret social studies
information such as maps, graphs,
presentations, speeches, lectures, and
political cartoons
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
Regional Data
%%
13.16
35.95
*39.65
11.14
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters: This is one of the lowest scoring items on the
assessment.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
This is a ‘such as’ question. Such as is mentioned in the TEKS so TEA is free to choose from any court case that they determine
is “landmark.” Clearly they chose Miranda v. Arizona and the students were not ready for this. As long as the SBOE has ‘such
as’ in the TEKS, assessment items like this will continue to appear.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – explain the historical development of reform movements, court cases, and legislations that expanded the civil and
political rights of citizens
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.8D
Item: 38
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: domino theory, Vietnam War, communism, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Warsaw Pact, UN, & economic power
Dual Coding: No
Content: 8D
Cognitive Skill: remembering
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
Regional Data
%%
87.23
3.29
3.21
6.23
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
China has risen as an economic power but not at the time of the Vietnam
War
Instructional Implications:
Students need to remember what the domino theory was and how it related to the Vietnam War.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – describe the role and influence of the United States in the international community
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.26A, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 39
Reporting
Category: 2
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Vocabulary: material possessions, Catholic faith, Gandhi, unshakable, Cesar Chavez, Medal of Freedom, posthumously
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 26A, The student understands how
Cognitive Skills: identify cause-and-effect
people from various groups contribute to our
relationships, make a generalization, & infer
national identity. The student is expected to:
(A) explain actions taken by people to expand
economic opportunities and political rights,
including those for racial, ethnic, and religious
minorities as well as women, in American
society
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
5.33
15.44
*70.02
9.14
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
Teachers should use direct vocabulary instruction to prepare students for the EOC. So many questions require the students
to know and understand words that they don’t normally use or read. Classrooms should be vocabulary rich environments.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – describe the impact of significant individuals, organizations, and policies on U.S. History.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.19B, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 40
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 3
Vocabulary: Liberty’s, commentary, legislation, Sundry Civil Bill, Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, Standard Time Act, Espionage Act
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 19B, The student understands
changes over time in the role of government.
The student is expected to:
Cognitive Skills: interpret, draw a conclusion
explain constitutional issues raised by federal
government policy changes during times of
significant events, including World War I, the
Great Depression, World War II, the 1960s,
and 9/11
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
C/H
13
12.19
15.63
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
The hand is taking away the torch so some students made a literal
interpretation.
D/J
*59.06
Instructional Implications:
Students are often required to interpret a poster that represents information in a TEKS. Assign one teacher in your department
to use the Library of Congress website and find posters that can be interpreted during instruction. Use the posters as bell
ringers or as often as possible.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – apply understanding of U.S. constitutional principles in major events in U.S. history
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.17B, 29B,
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 41
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: middle class, interstate highway system, suburbs, immigration, Department of Housing and Urban Development,
peacetime, & economic prosperity
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 17B, The student understands the
Cognitive Skills: identifying cause-and-effect
economic effects of World War II and the Cold relationships, & draw conclusion
War. The student is expected to:
(B) identify the causes of prosperity in the
1950s, including the Baby Boom and the
impact of the GI Bill (Servicemen's
Readjustment Act of 1944), and the effects of
prosperity in the 1950s such as increased
consumption and the growth of agriculture
and business
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
Regional Data
%%
12.2
35.13
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
The mention of suburbs in the stimulus provided students with support to
select this incorrect answer
C/H
2.4
D/J
*50.22
Instructional Implications:
This is another ‘such as’ assessment item. This item most likely falls under “the effects of prosperity in the 1950s” in 17B.
Students need to make the connection between ‘trends of the 1950s’ and prosperity.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – analyze issues related to the development of the U.S. economic system
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.3B
Item: 42
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: industrialization, environmental regulations, Union, wage-equity, & workplace
Dual Coding: No
Content: 3B, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering
political, economic, and social changes in the
United States from 1877 to 1898. The student
is expected to:
(B) analyze economic issues such as
industrialization, the growth of railroads, the
growth of labor unions, farm issues, the cattle
industry boom, the rise of entrepreneurship,
free enterprise, and the pros and cons of big
business
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
A/F
8.27
B/G
14.29
Concerns about the environment came much later.
C/H
*63.77
D/J
13.59
Instructional Implications:
This is another ‘such as’ assessment item. The data is slightly better on this one compared to other ‘such as’ items the
information that was assessed was listed in TEKS 3B. Students need to make the connection between industrialization and the
rise of labor unions.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – analyze issues related to the development of the U.S. economic system
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.19A
Item: 43
Reporting
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Category: 3
Vocabulary: national crisis, posed, Great Depression, deficit, downturns, dismantled, principal role, & federal entitlement
programs
Dual Coding: No
Content: 19A, The student understands
Cognitive Skill: remembering
changes over time in the role of government.
The student is expected to:
(A) evaluate the impact of New Deal
legislation on the historical roles of
state and federal government
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
Regional Data
%%
22.65
8.55
*59.86
8.83
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
Students knew the government was spending on a deficit to create jobs but
they did not apply ‘abandoned’ in this item.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
Students need to understand that the U.S. government was the lead agency in stabilizing the U.S. economy.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – analyze issues related to the development of the U.S. economic system
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.10D, 29B
Item: 44
Reporting
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: arms, intentions, evidence, President Ronald Reagan, excerpt, Iran-Contra affair, Watergate scandal, Plame
affair, & Whitewater controversy
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 10D, The student understands the
impact of political, economic, and social
factors in the U.S. role in the world from the
1970s through 1990. The student is expected
to:
(D) describe U.S. involvement in the Middle
East such as support for Israel, the Camp
David Accords, the Iran-Contra Affair,
Marines in Lebanon, and the Iran Hostage
Crisis
Process: 29B analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
Cognitive Skills: Finding the main idea, make
a generalization, infer, & draw conclusion.
Correct
Regional Data
Answer
%%
A/F
*64.33
B/G
26.02
Students chose the wrong scandal.
C/H
2.91
D/J
6.65
Instructional Implications:
Students first need to make the connection between Ronald Reagan and the Iran-Contra affair. This is another ‘such as’
assessment item but it is directly listed in the TEKS. Teachers need to write and say ‘excerpt’ often in class because it is used
often on the EOC.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – describe the role and influence of the United States in the international community
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.7E, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 45
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: Airmen, Allied Expeditionary Force, Great Crusade, striven, liberty-loving, Allies, brothers-in-arms, German war
machine, tyranny, & oppressed
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 7E, The student understands the
Cognitive Skills: Find the main idea, infer, &
domestic and international impact of U.S.
draw a conclusion
participation in World War II. The student is
expected to:
(E) analyze major military events of World
War II, including the Battle of Midway, the
U.S. military advancement through the Pacific
Islands, the Bataan Death March, the invasion
of Normandy, fighting the war on multiple
fronts, and the liberation of concentration
camps
Process: 29(B) analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Supporting?
Supporting
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Correct
Regional Data
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
Answer
%%
District Data
A/F
2.76
B/G
9.53
C/H
*76.86
D/J
10.81
Instructional Implications:
This requires students to read and apply their knowledge. Students must understand the main idea of the passage. How often
do social studies teachers ask their students to determine the main idea of a passage? All teachers are reading teachers.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – describe the role and influence of the United States in the international community
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.6A
Item: 46
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: Progressives, social Darwinism, lower classes, immigration, national unity, well-being, poverty, eradicated, &
economic regulation
Dual Coding: No
Content: 6A, The student understands
Cognitive Skill: remembering
significant events, social issues, and
individuals of the 1920s. The student is
expected to:
(A) analyze causes and effects of events and
social issues such as immigration, Social
Darwinism, eugenics, race relations, nativism,
the Red Scare, Prohibition, and the changing
role of women
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
A/F
*65.11
B/G
6.65
C/H
15.46
D/J
12.68
Instructional Implications:
This is another ‘such as’ question but it is listed in the TEKS. Students need to make the connection between Social Darwinism
and natural selection.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – analyze issues related to the development of the U.S. economic system
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.14A
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 47
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 2
Vocabulary: Hoover Dam, facilitate, transportation, tourism, & Colorado River
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 14A, The student understands the
relationship between population growth and
modernization on the physical environment.
The student is expected to:
(A) identify the effects of population growth
and distribution on the physical environment
Cognitive Skills: interpret, & draw a
conclusion
Process: 29H, use appropriate skills to analyze
and interpret social studies information such
as maps, graphs, presentations, speeches,
lectures, and political cartoons.
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
*51.58
26.42
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
Students don’t understand the region where the dam was built and the
inability to transport good over a dam.
C/H
4.51
D/J
17.43
Instructional Implications:
Students need to make the connection between an increasing population and the need for more water.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – analyze geographic and cultural influences on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.19E, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 48
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 3
Vocabulary: affects, turmoil abroad, peril, checked, albeit, terrorism, transnational crime, heed, pandemic disease, passport,
instability, unleash, Esther Brimmer, U.S. State Department, confront, The Commonwealth of Nations, The European Union,
The United Nations, & The International Red Cross.
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 19E, The student understands
Cognitive Skills: Finding the main idea, infer,
changes over time in the role of government.
& draw a conclusion
The student is expected to:
(E) evaluate the pros and cons of U.S.
participation in international organizations
and treaties
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Supporting
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters:
District Data
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
A/F
11.26
B/G
4.59
C/H
*67.63
D/J
16.43
Instructional Implications:
The vocabulary makes this a difficult passage to read. Students must be exposed to reading passages that challenge their
working vocabulary. Students need to learn the pros and cons of being member of an international organization. The U.N. and
NATO and good examples to study. Students must know the actions of the U.N. to answer this question correctly.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level III – evaluate historical justifications and interpretations through the examination of varied sources
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.8A
Item: 49
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: President John F. Kennedy, Soviet Union, missile sites, Cuba, naval blockade, strategic targets, United Nations, &
economic sanctions
Dual Coding: No
Content: 8A, The student understands the
Cognitive Skills: remembering
impact of significant national and
international decisions and conflicts in the
Cold War on the United States. The student is
expected to:
(A) describe U.S. responses to Soviet
aggression after World War II, including the
Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Berlin
airlift, and John F. Kennedy's role in the
Cuban Missile Crisis
Correct
Answer
A/F
Regional Data
%%
*69.21
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
B/G
C/H
5.42
17.12
These students do not have a grasp of the role JFK played in the Cuban
Missile Crisis
D/J
8.19
Instructional Implications:
Students need to understand how JFK avoided war by his delicate but firm handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Students might
benefit from putting another president in JFK’s shoes at the time and try to figure out how they would have handled the crisis.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – analyze the domestic and international impact of U.S. participation in wars and international conflicts
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.7A
Item: 50
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: Japan, U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, island hopping, Pacific trade routes, naval fleet, Battle of Midway,
Japanese Americans, internment camps, & trade sanctions
Dual Coding: No
Content: 7A, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering
domestic and international impact of U.S.
participation in World War II. The student is
expected to:
(A) identify reasons for U.S. involvement in
World War II, including Italian, German, and
Japanese dictatorships and their aggression,
especially the attack on Pearl Harbor
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
19.75
29.97
11.35
*38.84
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
Students need to fully understand why the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. It would be a good idea to explore the attack from
the Japanese point of view. Point of view can be very effective in getting students to learn.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level I – identify significant individuals, events, and issues in U.S. history
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.24B, 29H
Item: 51
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 3
Vocabulary: Segregation, Outlawed, instrumental, Rosa Parks, Ella Baker, Thurgood Marshall, Medgar Evers
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Content: 24B, The student understands the
importance of effective leadership in a
constitutional republic. The student is
expected to:
(B) evaluate the contributions of
significant political and social leaders
in the United States such as Andrew
Carnegie, Thurgood Marshall, Billy
Graham, Barry Goldwater, Sandra
Day O'Connor, and Hillary Clinton
29H, use appropriate skills to analyze and
interpret social studies information such as
maps, graphs, presentations, speeches,
lectures, and political cartoons
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Cognitive Skills: interpret, find the main
idea, make a generalization
Supporting
Analysis of Distracters
A/F
16.31
B/G
17.7
C/H
*60.19
D/J
5.72
Instructional Implications:
This is a ‘such as’ assessment item but Thurgood Marshall is listed specifically in the TEKS. Students need to practice
interpreting newspaper headlines. This is a good website to help students practice.
http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/ Students need to understand that Thurgood Marshall had a record of helping
those without a “voice.”
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – describe the impact of significant individuals, organizations, and policies on U.S. history.
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.16D, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 52
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: inherits, “fast life”, squandering, plight, & fortune
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 16D, The student understands
Cognitive Skill: remembering, make a
.
significant economic developments between
generalization, & draw a conclusion
World War I and World War II. The student is
expected to:
(D) compare the New Deal policies and its
opponents’ approaches to resolving the
economic effects of the Great Depression
Process: 29B analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
7.95
*77.02
3.48
11.47
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Analysis of Distracters
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
The “share the wealth” proposal by Huey Long is not specifically listed in the TEKS. Teachers need to understand how each
TEKS can be clarified. TRS is a great resource to clarify the TEKS. Students must be able to apply an example of the “share the
wealth” program.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – describe the impact of significant individuals, organizations, and policies on U.S. history
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.8F
Item: 53
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: mid-1960s, participation, Vietnam War, military draft, mandatory rationing, mass demonstrations, third-party
presidential candidate
Dual Coding: No
Content: 8F, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering
impact of significant national and
international decisions and conflicts in the
Cold War on the United States. The student is
expected to:
(F) describe the responses to the Vietnam
War such as the draft, the 26th Amendment,
the role of the media, the credibility gap, the
silent majority, and the anti-war movement.
Correct
Answer
A/F
Regional Data
%%
19.09
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
This is a large % of students to not get the correct answer for an assessment
item that is not dual coded.
B/G
10.93
C/H
*65.62
D/J
4.31
Instructional Implications:
This is a ‘such as’ assessment item but the example is listed specifically in the TEKS. Students must understand that there was
great resistance to the Vietnam War in the United States.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level I – identify significant individuals, events, and issues in U.S. History
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.26D
Item: 54
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 2
Vocabulary: Shirley Chisholm’s, gender, racial, physical disabilities, professional, famine, Latin America, advocated, & military
draft
Dual Coding: No
Content: 26D, The student understands how
Cognitive Skill: remembering, this can only
people from various groups contribute to our
be done if Shirl Chisholm was taught.
national identity. The student is expected to:
(D) identify the political, social, and economic
contributions of women such as Frances
Willard, Jane Addams, Eleanor Roosevelt,
Dolores Huerta, Sonia Sotomayor, and Oprah
Winfrey to American society
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Analysis of Distracters
A/F
*63.38
B/G
15.47
C/H
11.83
D/J
9.18
Instructional Implications:
This is a ‘such as’ assessment item. Shirley Chisholm is not directly listed in TEKS 26D. It is difficult to truly measure what it not
taught or listed in the TEKS. Many teachers did a good job of teaching beyond the TEKS.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – describe the impact of significant individuals, organizations, and polices on U.S. history.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.9A, 29B
Item: 55
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: participate, self-government, African Americans, systematically, ruthlessly, excluded, federal legislature, Black
Americans, & Congress
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 9A, The student understands the
Cognitive Skills: find the main idea, infer
impact of the American civil rights movement.
The student is expected to:
(A) trace the historical development of the
civil rights movement in the 19th, 20th, and
21st centuries, including the 13th, 14th, 15th,
and 19th amendments
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
A/F
3.55
B/G
*52.41
C/H
28.09
Students did not know enough content on Du Bois
D/J
15.86
Instructional Implications:
Students must learn enough about to W.E.B. Du Bois to make the connection between him and his efforts to achieve civil rights
for African-Americans.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – explain the historical development of reform movements, court cases, and legislation that expanded the civil and
political rights of citizens
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.3A, 29H
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 56
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: “Hard Times”, political cartoon, Uncle Sam, “Free Pie Kitchen”, “Long Term Franchise”, “Special Privilege”,
“Public Service Corporation,” “Public Land Thief”, & “Predatory Wealth”
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 3A, The student understands the
political, economic, and social changes in the
United States from 1877 to 1898. The student
is expected to:
(A) analyze political issues such as Indian
policies, the growth of political machines, civil
service reform, and the beginnings of
Populism
Cognitive Skill: Interpret, find the main idea,
infer, & generalize
Process: 29H, use appropriate skills to
analyze and interpret social studies
information such as maps, graphs,
presentations, speeches, lectures, and
political cartoons
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Correct
Regional Data
Analysis of Distracters
Answer
%%
A/F
*79.08
B/G
5.48
C/H
10.5
D/J
4.87
Instructional Implications:
It is difficult to see words in the picture. Students must determine the situation without reading the clues. Interpreting the
actions in a poster is a learned skill that can be improved with practice. Instruct students to share their interpretations with a
partner. After sharing, students should say, “what makes you say that?” This forces the students into deeper thought and
explanation of the poster. This is a ‘such as’ assessment item and political reform is not directly listed in TEKS 3A.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level III – evaluate historical perspectives on major events and issues on US History
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.20B, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 57
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 3
Vocabulary: interferes, ratify, treaties, principle, popular sovereignty, executive branch
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 20B, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: Infer & draw conclusion
changing relationships among the three
branches of the federal government. The
student is expected to:
(B) evaluate the impact of relationships
among the legislative, executive, and judicial
branches of government, including Franklin
D. Roosevelt's attempt to increase the
number of U.S. Supreme Court justices and
the presidential election of 2000
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
Regional Data
%%
9.99
16.36
18.05
*55.51
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
Students were forced to analyze each speaker’s point of view and this process takes time. Many students simply don’t take the
time to think through each point of view. Answers “B” and “C” are close and distracted many students. For instructional
purposes, practice point of view in class and then have students switch roles and argue from the other point of view.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level III – evaluate historical perspectives on major events and issues on US History
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.4C
Item: 58
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: World War I, economically, European sanctions, obligated, campaign promises, Communist, & immigrants
Dual Coding: No
Content: 4C, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering
emergence of the United States as a world
power between 1898 and 1920. The student
is expected to:
(C) identify the causes of World War I and
reasons for U.S. entry
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
A/F
13.31
B/G
*65.53
C/H
5.34
D/J
15.73
Instructional Implications:
This is a content question. Students did not make the connection between unrestricted submarine warfare and sinking the
Lusitania.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level I – identify significant individuals, events, and issues in U.S. History.
2015 STAAR
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
TEKS USH.26C, 29H
Item: 59
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 2
Vocabulary: BBQ chicken, Charro beans, Cajun chicken, Shepherd’s pie, agricultural trade agreements, U.S. regulations,
diverse, ethnic, & nutritional standards
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 26C, The student understands how
Cognitive Skill: interpret & generalize
people from various groups contribute to our
national identity. The student is expected to:
(C) explain how the contributions of people
of various racial, ethnic, gender, and religious
groups shape American culture
Process: 29H, use appropriate skills to analyze
and interpret social studies information such
as maps, graphs, presentations, speeches,
lectures, and political cartoons
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
A/F
B/G
8.16
9.54
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters: The information is presented in a different manner
but the only close answer is the correct answers. Students that missed did
not pay close enough attention to the foods listed.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
C/H
*70.3
D/J
11.95
Instructional Implications:
The students had to recognize the different food groups to link the contributions of various ethnic groups to American culture.
Answering this assessment item correctly requires the student to successfully pull information from a graph and interpret its
meaning. The format has to account for most students that answered incorrectly. Students need to be able to interpret
information from a variety of graphs and charts.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – analyze geographic and cultural influences on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.27C
Item: 60
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: specializes, manufacturing, distributing, automobile, enhance, productivity, remote access, direct deposit,
automated tracking system, & inventory
Dual Coding: No
Content: 27C, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill:
impact of science, technology, and the free
enterprise system on the economic
development of the United States. The
student is expected to:
(C) understand the impact of technological
and management innovations and their
applications in the workplace and the
resulting productivity enhancements for
business and labor such as assembly line
manufacturing, time-study analysis, robotics,
computer management, and just-in-time
inventory management
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
C/H
Regional Data
%%
6.79
3.18
23.02
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
Students failed to understand how productivity would best be increased.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
D/J
*66.9
Instructional Implications:
This is a ‘such as’ assessment item. Automated tracking system is not specifically listed in TEKS 27C. Students need to be
exposed to a variety of productivity enhancements in order to make a connection between “manufacturing and distributing
automobile parts” and “an automated tracking system for shipping and warehouse inventory.”
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – explain the impact of science and technology on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.4E, 29B
Item: 61
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: fumes, comatose, abandoned, British Field Marshal Sir John French, second battle of Ypres
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 4E, The student understands the
emergence of the United States as a world
power between 1898 and 1920. The student
is expected to:
Cognitive Skills: find the main idea, infer,
and draw conclusion
(E) analyze the impact of significant
technological innovations in World War I such
as machine guns, airplanes, tanks, poison gas,
and trench warfare that resulted in the
stalemate on the Western Front
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Readiness/
Supporting
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
A/F
7.04
B/G
18
C/H
*72.07
D/J
2.84
Instructional Implications:
This assessment item is a reading question. Students must find the content clues in the passage and relate this to their
knowledge of poison gas and the results of its use. This is a ‘such as’ assessment item but the content used is listed in TEKS 4E.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – explain the impact of science and technology on the United States
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.8C
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 62
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: quotation, President Harry S. Truman, North Korea, South Korea, United Nations, adequately, peace
settlements, prosperous, guarantee, Communism, subversion, armed invasion, tragic conditions, militant minority,
exploiting, & economic recovery
Dual Coding: No
Content: The student understands the impact Cognitive Skill: remembering, interpret, &
of significant national and international
make a generalization
decisions and conflicts in the Cold War on the
United States. The student is expected to:
(C) explain reasons and outcomes for U.S.
involvement in the Korean War and its
relationship to the containment policy
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Correct
Regional Data
Analysis of Distracters
Answer
%%
A/F
14.71
B/G
11.75
C/H
*69.06
D/J
4.39
Instructional Implications:
This assessment item is not dual coded but requires the use of multiple skills to answer correctly. This item gives reason to
use direct vocabulary instruction and make it part of your weekly instruction. Communicate with the ELAR teachers in your
school to get suggestions about creating a vocabulary rich classroom.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level III – evaluate historical justifications
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.15D, 29H
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 63
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: enlist, invest, liberty bonds, World War I-era, intended, persuade, scarce goods, & war materials
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 15D, The student understands
Cognitive Skills: interpret & infer
domestic and foreign issues related to U.S.
economic growth from the 1870s to 1920.
The student is expected to:
(D) describe the economic effects of
international military conflicts, including the
Spanish-American War and World War I, on
the United States
Process: 29H, use appropriate skills to
analyze and interpret social studies
information such as maps, graphs,
presentations, speeches, lectures, and
political cartoons
Readiness/
Readiness
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
Correct
Regional Data
Answer
%%
A/F
1.47
B/G
1.3
C/H
9.02
D/J
*88.17
Instructional Implications:
This is another poster from the Library of Congress. How many posters from the Library of Congress should teachers use a
week during their instruction?
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II –analyze the domestic and international impact of U.S. participation in wars and international conflicts
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.15B, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 64
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: Gilded Age, trusts, monopolies, Ruthless business tactics, robber barons, rebates, pools, & differential rates
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 15B, The student understands
Cognitive Skills: find the main idea, infer,
domestic and foreign issues related to U.S.
draw conclusions, & identifying cause-andeconomic growth from the 1870s to 1920.
effect relationships
The student is expected to:
(B) describe the changing relationship
between the federal government and private
business, including the costs and benefits of
laissez-faire, anti-trust acts, the Interstate
Commerce Act, and the Pure Food and Drug
Act
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Correct
Answer
A/F
B/G
C/H
D/J
Regional Data
%%
*63.82
7.69
10.87
17.52
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Instructional Implications:
Causes are listed in the box and the effects are answer choices. This format needs to be practiced during instruction. When
teaching this content, ask students to determine what they think are unfair business practices of the era. Who might get hurt
and who would benefit? Do these practices still exist today? Why or why not?
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – analyze issues related to the development of the U.S. economic system
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.4F
Item: 65
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 1
Vocabulary: Fourteen Points, President Woodrow Wilson’s, intervention, justifiable, international organization, cooperation,
international leaders, & world peace
Dual Coding: No
Content: 4F, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering
emergence of the United States as a world
power between 1898 and 1920. The student
is expected to:
(F) analyze major issues such as isolationism
and neutrality raised by U.S. involvement in
World War I, Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen
Points, and the Treaty of Versailles
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Correct
Regional Data
Analysis of Distracters
Answer
%%
A/F
14.51
B/G
7.92
C/H
6.2
D/J
*71.29
Instructional Implications:
This is a ‘such as’ assessment item but the content is listed specifically in TEKS 4F. Students need to make the connection
between Woodrow Wilson and the importance he placed on the Fourteen Points and the League of Nations after WWI.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – describe the role and influence of the United States in the international community
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.18A
Item: 66
Reporting
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Category: 4
Vocabulary: computer operating systems, Robert L. Johnson, Ralph Nader, Al Gore, & Bill Gates
Dual Coding: No
Content: 18A, The student understands the
Cognitive Skill: remembering
economic effects of increased worldwide
interdependence as the United States enters
the 21st century. The student is expected to:
(A) discuss the role of American
entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates, Sam Walton,
Estée Lauder, Robert Johnson, Lionel Sosa,
and millions of small business entrepreneurs
who achieved the American dream
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Supporting
Analysis of Distracters
A/F
3.9
B/G
3.92
C/H
3.34
D/J
*88.78
Instructional Implications:
Bill Gates is widely known.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level I – identify significant individuals, events and issues in US History
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.23A, 29B
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 67
Reporting
Source/Genre:
When Taught?
Category: 3
Vocabulary: Resolved, sacred right, elective franchise, Seneca Falls Convention, Civil Rights Act, Prohibition, ratification,
Nineteenth Amendment, Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 23A, The student understands
Cognitive Skills: finding the main idea, infer,
efforts to expand the democratic process. The & draw a conclusion
student is expected to:
(A) identify and analyze methods of
expanding the right to participate in the
democratic process, including lobbying, nonviolent protesting, litigation, and
amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Process: 29B, analyze information by
sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing and
contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations, making
predictions, drawing inferences, and drawing
conclusions
Correct
Answer
Regional Data
%%
Readiness/
Supporting?
Campus/
District Data
Readiness
Analysis of Distracters
A/F
7.76
B/G
5.03
C/H
*77.77
D/J
9.37
Instructional Implications:
Students must have knowledge of the Seneca Falls Convention and be able to apply it to the 19th Amendment.
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – explain the historical development of reform movements, court cases, and legislation that expanded the civil and
political rights of citizens
2015 STAAR
TEKS USH.25C, 29H
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Item: 68
Reporting
Source/Genre
When Taught?
Category: 2
Vocabulary: presence, Graceland, Elvis Presley, international reputation, Prime Minister of Japan, President George W. Bush,
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
US HISTORY SINCE 1877 END-OF-COURSE 2015
Dual Coding: Yes
Content: 25C, The student understands the
relationship between the arts and the times
during which they were created. The student
is expected to:
(C) identify the impact of popular American
culture on the rest of the world over time
Process: 29H, use appropriate skills to
analyze and interpret social studies
information such as maps, graphs,
presentations, speeches, lectures, and
political cartoons
Readiness/
Supporting
Supporting?
Campus/
Analysis of Distracters
District Data
Cognitive Skills: Interpret, find the main
idea, generalize, and draw a conclusion
Correct
Regional Data
Answer
%%
A/F
4.91
B/G
*90.56
C/H
2.82
D/J
1.66
Instructional Implications:
Students must be able to interpret pictures and find details. This assessment item also requires students to interpret two
quotes. These are skills that students must have to be successful on the EOC. These skills have to be practiced during
instruction.
Possible Performance Level Descriptor:
Level II – describe the role and influence of the United States in the international community