Amid growing concerns about the STAAR test, two articles written by Mimi Swartz for Texas Monthly raise new concerns that the readability levels of the questions on many of the STAAR tests are up to two years above the grade level of the test takers:
The examination of Texas A&M Commerce showed that in order to comprehend various STAAR reading test passages, most students would have to be reading higher than their grade level. A third grader, for instance, would have to comprehend at a fifth-grade level.
The second study conducted by the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton used six readability tests to evaluate the STAAR reading test and determined that the reading test contained passages that were too difficult for the targeted age groups.
Texas PTA
Believes the purpose of testing is to provide feedback to teachers, parents, and students about students’ mastery of skills.
Believes state-mandated test results should be just one measure of student progress, not the only measure that counts.
Is concerned about the use of state-mandated tests to make determinations about promotion of students and to evaluate schools.
To help us understand the perspectives of our members so that we can better represent you at the Texas Capitol, please complete the survey below.
Responses are requested by Monday, April 1, 2019.
1-800-TALK-PTA | 408 West 11th Street | Austin, Texas 78701 | txpta.org
Share this email:
Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove®
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
