Would you have your children take released STARR tests?

[Janeway]

There are STARR tests online that were released from past tests. I am thinking of having the kids take them just to see if they know what the public schoolers have to know. I know that is not official. I am not planning to call the public schools about it. I am just referring to using the tests at home, that they have released online.  http://tea.texas.gov/Student_Testing_and_Accountability/Testing/State_of_Texas_Assessments_of_Academic_Readiness_(STAAR)/STAAR_Released_Test_Questions/

[Momling]

Of course you can do it. I have used released end of course test questions to make my final exams. It could be a good test-taking practice for your kids. That said, the test may not give you very much useful information because it may or may not be testing the same content that you have been teaching. Even if the test is testing what you've taught, it's usually unclear from released test questions what is considered a passing score or what percentile your child's score would fall in compared with the entire population of kids. So if you do test them with released questions, I wouldn't take the results too seriously.

[Janeway]

Of course you can do it. I have used released end of course test questions to make my final exams. It could be a good test-taking practice for your kids. That said, the test may not give you very much useful information because it may or may not be testing the same content that you have been teaching. Even if the test is testing what you've taught, it's usually unclear from released test questions what is considered a passing score or what percentile your child's score would fall in compared with the entire population of kids. So if you do test them with released questions, I wouldn't take the results too seriously.

I already showed my oldest the algebra STAAR test and he could not solve even the first couple of problems. I am worried that we did a bad job of algebra 1 and should revisit it.

[amsunshine]

Meh -- I wouldn't do it unless my kids were actually going to take a standardized test in the near future and I just wanted to make sure they were acquainted with the format and types of questions they would see.  Even then, I would not spend that much time on it because it's not that important in the scheme of things.  No one in college cares how your kids do on standardized tests other than the SAT/ACT.  I feel our time is better spent on regular schooling.

 

ETA:  I just saw your post about your oldest and Algebra -- unless your child is actually going to take the test you are looking at, I would not use old standardized tests if I were you.  Instead, I would use something like a free trial of ALEKS to assess your child's Algebra skills.  Then, using that assessment, I would go back and strengthen the skills that are not solid yet, either by using something like ALEKS, or Khan Academy or just a different Algebra curriculum.  Again, it makes no difference what public schools use as standardized tests.  Only the SAT and ACT will matter when it comes time for applying to colleges.  Get ready for those tests, most certainly, when the time comes.  Don't worry about other standardized tests.  HTH.

[Lanny]

I already showed my oldest the algebra STAAR test and he could not solve even the first couple of problems. I am worried that we did a bad job of algebra 1 and should revisit it.

 

 

That may be a wake up call and a blessing for your DS.  I would suggest using a test from another source. If the results are the same, you probably need to spend more time on Algebra 1 or even on Pre Algebra. If he is not solid with Algebra 1, he will have serious problems with advanced Math courses.  GL

[Janeway]

That may be a wake up call and a blessing for your DS.  I would suggest using a test from another source. If the results are the same, you probably need to spend more time on Algebra 1 or even on Pre Algebra. If he is not solid with Algebra 1, he will have serious problems with advanced Math courses.  GL

We did the ITBS in the spring and he scored very well, as in 99th percentile in math. And we skipped forward and did the next higher grade level test. Should I believe the ITBS more or the STAAR?

[Ellie]

There are STARR tests online that were released from past tests. I am thinking of having the kids take them just to see if they know what the public schoolers have to know. I know that is not official. I am not planning to call the public schools about it. I am just referring to using the tests at home, that they have released online.  http://tea.texas.gov/Student_Testing_and_Accountability/Testing/State_of_Texas_Assessments_of_Academic_Readiness_(STAAR)/STAAR_Released_Test_Questions/

 

No. Because the STARR tests what the teachers have been teaching to for months. Public school students have to know what's on the test, and there's a boatload of learning that doesn't even begin to show up there.

 

If I wanted to compare my homeschooled children to public school children, I would choose a nationally standardized test, such as a Stanford or California Achievement Test. 

[Shellydon]

Maybe.  I would be more likely to go with the national tests though.  I had my DD look at the Alg. test just now, and she can easily do the 1st 10 problems and has just completed pre-alg.  I would figure out *why* your son is unable to do the problems you gave him.  Good luck!

[HomeAgain]

I used to have my son take the old TAKS tests every other year.  I liked that I could see why he missed the questions he did and what he was having trouble on thanks to their handy scoring guide.

 

My son did not take algebra at the public school but took the STAAR for it.  He passed it easily.  Your son's reaction sets off a red flag.  This isn't a subject like geography where you have to know the twigs being tested.  It's a mastery subject, and many of the students who take the STAAR have only completed 3/4 of the Alg 1 class.  I would definitely go back and revisit the subject until it is understood. 

[regentrude]

No, I would not.

I know what my kids learned. I know that I did not care one hoot to align it with what is drilled in teach-to-the-test in public schools.

Making them take a standardized test that was not required would be a waste of time and not relevant for me anyway.

 

ETA: read your second post about the algebra: this, indeed, would have me concerned - but one could have diagnosed that working through the algebra program, without that test.

[J&JMom]

This is my third year homeschooling in Texas, and yes, I print out the STAAR assessments for their grade level for them the last week of our academic year.  I want to know how they would perform in a public school and adjust my curriculum according to their performance. It is simply a tool in my large arsenal of a toolbox.  I also test every April with ITBS.  We plan to return them to a public Texas high school where they will need to pass a dozen STARR tests to graduate, so experience with them is a must, IMHO. I give both tests to compare with two sets of cohorts - Texas and Nationally to compare with the subject tests I give in my homeschool.

I am  very data driven. I give my kids a variety of assessments to determine where they are at academically, and since many results don't jive  I weigh them with the work they do and hope for the best. For example, my youngest failed the STAAR math test, but scored 56th percentile on ITBS, so I know to work on more multi-step/multi-operational word problems which compose the majority of problems on the STAAR while confident in straight computation and concepts which is the basis of the ITBS tests. And he passed the vast majority of the chapter tests in his math program, so we continued on to the next level in math with word problem supplements for this year. 

[Tsuga]

I wouldn't necessarily have my children do the state tests if they weren't already but I also would be concerned if a student couldn't do the first 10 problems of the algebra test.

 

ITBS tests are not the same as state material testing. They are a lot more theoretical, problem solving, if I recall correctly.

 

Our schools regularly switch up the curriculum with materials from different resources, from standardized testers like Pearson to random stuff like Chinese and Singapore curricula. The child should be able to figure out all of them, know all the different signs for multiplication, division, etc.

[Lanny]

<snip>.  We plan to return them to a public Texas high school where they will need to pass a dozen STARR tests to graduate <snip>

 

 

How many EOC tests they need to complete depends upon which school year they begin 9th grade in. Before HB5 was passed, there were fifteen (15) EOC examinations required for graduation from a Public High School in Texas. DD began 9th grade during September 2015 and she will need to pass five (5) EOC tests. One of them is for Algebra 1, which is the subject of this thread.  

[VANURSEPRAC]

I already showed my oldest the algebra STAAR test and he could not solve even the first couple of problems. I am worried that we did a bad job of algebra 1 and should revisit it.

 

Janeway,

 

D12 started working through Foerster Alg 1 this past spring. She was flying through it w/o real difficulty. She then went on an extended vacation with her dad, when she finally returned to Foerster (after 5-6 week break), she could not remember what she had previously learned. D12 then reviewed all the previous chapters. But before we went on to new material. I heard about Phillip Keller's

 

"Advanced Math For Young Students: A first course in Algebra.  This book explained the how and why to her very well. She really enjoyed the Keller text. After completing this book, she is back to Foerster Alg I. She  has a better understanding this time. 

[Laura Corin]

I used to have my sons do the old TAKS tests, but mostly to reassure the grandparents. I didn't find the tests that useful otherwise.

[MarkT]

We did the ITBS in the spring and he scored very well, as in 99th percentile in math. And we skipped forward and did the next higher grade level test. Should I believe the ITBS more or the STAAR?

"The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills span ten articulated levels appropriate for use at Kindergarten through Grade 8."

 

Algebra 1 is considered high school level even when taken earlier.

 

Mastery of Algebra means you can use it to solve problems some time (SAT, ACT for example) after the formal course is completed. Sometimes it takes a second pass through the material to get there.

[newhsmom]

You should look up the passing score for the STAAR test you are giving. Often the passing standard is shockingly low like less than 50%. The state has been saying for years that the passing rate was going to be significantly raised, but the scores have been so terrible that they haven't raised them as they thought they would. My personal opinion is that the test must be too difficult or confusing. I was going to give my daughter an elementary test until I read the test and decided that it was purposely confusing and misleading and not worth our time. We did used Stanford 10 for standardized testing.