Both in Dallas ISD and statewide, the percentage of students meeting grade level on the STAAR science exam grew this year compared with previous years, according to results released Friday.
The Texas Education Agency released State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness scores for science Friday morning. Those results point to growth both across Texas and in the state’s second-largest school district. But fifth graders still lag pre-pandemic norms, scores indicate. Only fifth and eighth graders take the science test.
Related: See how your North Texas elementary, middle school fared on STAAR.
In Dallas ISD, just shy of 30% of fifth graders scored on grade level in science this year, compared with a little over 21% last year. In eighth grade, 42% scored on grade level this year, up from 36% last year.
Statewide, about 36% of fifth graders scored on grade level this year, up from just shy of 29% last year. In eighth grade, 53% scored on grade level this year, up from 46% last year.
Related: Texas program will help third graders catch up in reading. Here’s what to know.
In Dallas ISD and across the state, a larger percentage of eighth graders met grade level this year compared with 2019, the last round of testing before the pandemic began. Fifth graders, who would have spent their kindergarten years either learning remotely or in a hybrid setting, trailed pre-pandemic scores. In 2019, 47% of fifth graders statewide scored on grade level, about 11 points higher than this year. In Dallas ISD, 40% scored on grade level in 2019, about 10 points higher than this year.
Those fifth grade scores represent combined results for English and Spanish test-takers. The eighth grade science test is administered only in English.
TEA released results for reading, math and social studies last month. Agency officials delayed the release of science results while they reviewed the tests to ensure the level of difficulty hadn’t changed from previous years. The state implemented new standards for science this year, which meant the material on the science exams was updated as well.
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