STAR Testing Results for 2012

Please read this introduction and then look at the results

Below are the 2012 Amesbury STAR results for your information. I am presenting them to you with a caution as follows. STAR is a nationally normed test of reading skills. However, it is important for you to note that STAR is a narrow test of reading and is only one indicator of achievement that goes towards making a judgement of whether your child is at/below/or above the National Standard in reading. Being “at” in STAR does not in any way suggest that your child will be “at” in National Standards. In fact, it is highly possible that a child who tests “at” in STAR may not reach the Standard.

National Standards are not nationally normed, but are standards that have been set based on what is required to achieve NZCEA. National Standards requires much broader achievement than previously. In order to achieve the standard, students must be achieving at that standard consistently and in work done across the full range of curriculum areas, i.e reading for inquiry, reading in maths. National Standards includes the ability to think critically and solve problems. In the past, a judgement about a child’s achievement was often based on one test result, but now we are required to triangulate data from a number of sources to make a comprehensive judgement about that child’s learning.

STAR testing is useful for the purposes of triangulating data about what your child can do and it does add to our knowledge of each child’s learning, but it must be treated as only one indicator and that much more will be required as we consider where students are at in relation to National Standards.

STAR Achievement Results 2012 

Findings

• ·         There has been a noticeable increase in achievement from March/April testing to the November testing. 82% of students are now above national norms compared with 66% in the March testing (a 15 – 16% increase over the year) compared with a national norm of 23%.
• ·         18% are in the “at” Stanine band, with no students below Stanine 5. In March some students achieved at Stanine 4.
• ·         16% of students achieved at Stanine 9 compared with the national norm of 4%.

Conclusion

It is pleasing to see an improvement in achievement over the year. For 2013, we would like to see more students shifting up into the “above” band, but most particularly, more students achieving at Stanine 9.

Please note: STAR testing will be further interpreted in the light of the whole raft of reading assessment that will take place over the next few weeks. I will report on this at the beginning of next year.