STAAR Rescore Requests Tripled to 64,489. More Than 13,300 Reading Scores Went Up.
More Texas districts asked humans to rescore written answers on the reading exams, many of which a computer graded first. The results can change campus ratings.
Texas school districts asked the state to rescore 64,489 written answers on STAAR reading exams this spring, nearly triple last year's 21,620, The Texas Tribune reported. In spring 2024 there were 2,758 requests.
The Texas Education Agency raised more than 13,300 reading scores after review. Computers had graded 58% of those answers and humans 42%. Humans did all the rescoring.
Why it is happening
TEA began using an automated scoring engine for open-ended STAAR questions in December 2023, with humans reviewing a quarter of the scores. Agency spokesman Jake Kobersky said scoring every essay by hand would take four to five times as many human scorers and cost $15 million to $20 million more a year.
More than 250 districts and charter networks asked for rescores this year, and nearly 90% had at least one score go up. More than 3.2 million students took the reading STAAR.
What it costs
TEA automatically rescored extended responses free if a student was one point short of the next performance level. Districts that ask for a rescore pay $50 per test only if the score does not improve, The Texas Tribune reported. TEA's testing coordinator guidance covers the rescore process.
Results varied. Dallas ISD submitted more than 5,100 tests, and 34% came back higher; the district said that helped five campuses raise their ratings. In the San Antonio area, KSAT reported that Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD saw 144 of its 597 rescored tests, about 24%, change.
Why ratings matter
STAAR results drive A-F ratings, and years of low ratings can lead to a state takeover. Our report on what a state takeover costs local taxpayers explains the stakes. For one district's spending, see Midland ISD's $500 million bond sale.
Parents should ask
A point or two can decide whether a child passes or a campus avoids sanctions. Parents should know who graded their child's answers and whether the district asked for a review. Machines can save money, but families deserve confidence that the scores are right.
Hero photo: Ente75, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
