An overview on the STAAR assesment design, which will be implemented in the 2011-2012 school year.

1. State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Assessment Design Attributes 1 Sara Elizabeth Perez EDIM510

2. Focus The STAAR program is designed to focus assessments on: Readiness Standards (RS) Supporting Standards (SS) Readiness standards will be emphasized annually. Supporting standards will be emphasized randomly each year. 2

3. General Characteristics

4. Clarity The majority of the assessments will test content studied that year, as opposed to testing content studied over multiple years. 4

5. Depth A primary feature of STAAR’s test design is a focus on preparedness for success in subsequent grades or courses and, ultimately, for college and career. This requires the tests to emphasize depth rather than breadth in assessing student expectations. The rigor of items will be increased by assessing skills at a greater depth and level of cognitive complexity. 5

6. Sources Diving Abu Talha (Coral Gardens). (2007, December 29). Retrieved February 25, 2011, from Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/copleys/2293080058/in/photostream/ Local Glacier #1. (2009, December 15). Retrieved February 25, 2011, from Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/ photos/mr_beaver/4190864254/. Odd One Out. (2009, April 26). Retrieved February 25, 2011, from Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ hojusaram/3490985056/.