To read STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) scores, it is important to understand several components of the report:
- Raw Score: This is the number of questions the student answered correctly on the test.
- Scale Score: The raw score is converted into a scale score that accounts for different test versions and difficulty levels, allowing fair comparisons.
- Performance Level: Students are classified into one of four categories based on their scale score:
- Masters Grade Level: Indicates high proficiency with little or no intervention needed.
- Meets Grade Level: Shows the student is likely to succeed with some targeted support.
- Approaches Grade Level: Means the student may need additional academic intervention to succeed.
- Did Not Meet Grade Level: Indicates significant academic intervention is required.
- Progress and Growth Measures: Some reports include comparisons to past scores or peers to show academic growth.
- Additional metrics may include percentile ranks and measures specific to reading (Lexile) or math (Quantile).
Parents typically receive an Individual Student Report (ISR) that explains these score components and provides insights into their child's academic performance and needs. Scores can often be accessed online through the Texas Assessment Family Portal or school systems like Skyward. In summary, reading STAAR scores involves interpreting raw and scaled scores along with the student's performance level to understand academic proficiency and growth over time. Students "Meeting" or "Mastering" grade level demonstrate proficiency, while lower levels indicate areas requiring support and intervention.
