Scores on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) are in, and San Antonio students are facing tough times with math and science scores seeing a disappointing slump. State leaders point to the pandemic's aftermath as the key issue behind the downward trend, while tweaks in the test and its scoring methods also play a role, according to data revealed last week.
The San Antonio Report indicated that for the first time, STAAR implemented computer grading for free-fill questions, and responses deemed off-topic were awarded zero points—a shift from previous partial credit policies. The implications of these scores, which contribute to state accountability ratings, were significant enough to halt the issuance of annual letter grades for campuses and districts, amidst legal challenges over the new calculation methods.
In local districts, third-grade reading showed some improvement in Judson ISD and San Antonio ISD, but numbers for students not on grade level for fifth-grade science in Judson catapulted from 47% to 59% this year. A similar drop was observed in the number of students who mastered science, plummeting from 8% to 4%. Across larger districts in the area like Northside ISD, less than half the student body is meeting the expected standards in both subjects, as per the released data.
SAISD stated they are "analyzing the data and conducting root cause analysis for our results." The district has arranged a public discussion next Monday to share findings and future plans to foster academic growth. Meanwhile, North East IS A, with scores above the state average in several columns, also witnessed dips in student performance.
While local and statewide trends reveal the long shadow of COVID-19 on educational outcomes, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath signaled the need for sustained measures to uplift students. "Pandemic-induced disruptions to learning exacerbated students’ difficulties in mastering fundamental math concepts," Morath said. He emphasized the urgency of strengthening intervention efforts and applying research-backed educational strategies to ensure solid foundational skills across all subjects.
Educational experts are sounding alarms on the long-term consequences of these testing trends. Lawrence Scott, an associate professor at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, raised concerns about repercussions extending into the workforce and the state's appeal to potential employers. He highlighted the ripple effect, saying, "There are career and college readiness implications because if students are placed in interventions due to testing outcomes, they are in a perpetual state of catching up," in an interview with The San Antonio Report.
