The 2024 Algebra I STAAR EOC continued both statewide online testing and several new item types. Using a modified version of the statewide item analysis report, I examined the readiness standards that had less than 60% mastery. Each standard has both an analysis of the items themselves to infer what made them so difficult and instructional implications for educators to ensure a more successful 2025 STAAR test.
Standard | # of items | % mastery |
A.9C | 2 | 39.5 |
A.6A | 2 | 39.5 |
A.8A | 2 | 42 |
A.7C | 2 | 42.5 |
A.11B | 2 | 45.5 |
A.5C | 2 | 49 |
A.3D | 2 | 50 |
A.5A | 2 | 51 |
A.2I | 2 | 52.5 |
A.10E | 2 | 54 |
A.3B | 2 | 55.5 |
A.3C | 2 | 56.5 |
A.2A | 2 | 56.5 |
Access the slide deck here.
A.9C - 39.5% overall mastery
write exponential functions in the form f(x) = ab^x (where b is a rational number) to describe problems arising from mathematical and real-world situations, including growth and decay
#19 - 59% correct
#43 - 20% correct
Analysis
For #19, students could have intuited correct answer without calculating by knowing it was a growth factor (>1) and that the initial position (x=0) wasn’t in the table
For #43, the most difficult item on the test, students had to not only interpret equation from real-world scenario but enter it into the equation editor, including ^x
Instructional Implications
Have students write equations, not simply select them, to generate analog practice opportunities for the equation editor
A.6A - 39.5% overall mastery
determine the domain and range of quadratic functions and represent the domain and range using inequalities
#9 - 34% correct
#32 - 45% correct
Analysis
Both items asked for descriptions of inequalities rather than using symbols, consistent with past STAAR items
For #9, more students chose B (44% - x-intercepts) than chose the correct answer (34%), confusing domain and range
For #32, 23% of students chose A (range) and 24% of students chose B (x-intercepts)
Instructional Implications
Ask students to find all three on every quadratic graph (domain, range, x-intercepts) to help promote discrimination
Give students range and direction of graph and have them sketch a graph
Watch the full walkthrough of all 50 items on the 2024 Algebra I STAAR EOC below.
A.8A - 42% overall mastery
solve quadratic equations having real solutions by factoring, taking square roots, completing the square, and applying the quadratic formula
#18 - 54% correct
#31 - 30% correct
Analysis
Instructional Implications
Students need extra practice with the less used methods for solving quadratics (i.e., square root)
#31 could have been solved by distributing out the expression, making one side equal to zero, and factoring using any method (e.g., quadratic formula)
A.7C - 42.5% overall mastery
determine the effects on the graph of the parent function f(x) = x^2 when f(x) is replaced by af(x), f(x) + d, f(x - c), f(bx) for specific values of a, b, c, and d
#21 - 44% correct
#29 - 41% correct
Analysis
Instructional Implications
Horizontal movement is not intuitive f(x) = a(x - h)^2 + k
To graph the child function, they would have to square (x + 7.2)
Students need practice identifying the roles and constraints of each constant (a, h, and k)
Practice describing changes from equations before graphing them to check their answer
A.11B - 45.5% overall mastery
simplify numeric and algebraic expressions using the laws of exponents, including integral and rational exponents
#6 - 39% correct
#33 - 52% correct
Analysis
For #6, 25% of students chose A (applied powers only to variables) and 23% of students chose C (multiplied exponents)
The confusion for #6 revolved around when and to what extent to apply the power of a power property and when to apply the product of powers property
#33 did not include product of powers
Instructional Implications
Focus on problems in which students have to apply the product of powers and power of powers for discrimination problems
Quotient of powers problems should result in negative exponent for extra rigor, especially in the denominator
A.5C - 49% overall mastery
solve systems of two linear equations with two variables for mathematical and real-world problems
#13 - 60% correct
#42 - 38% correct
Analysis
Instructional Implications
Students need a theoretical understanding of infinite solutions
Show students multiple methods for recognizing infinite solutions (eliminating everything when subtracting equations, generating equivalent equations, single line when graphed)
A.3D - 50% overall mastery
graph the solution set of linear inequalities in two variables on the coordinate plane
#12 - 34% full credit; 15% partial credit; 50% no credit
#41 - 64% correct
Analysis
The inequality for #12 was given in slope-intercept form while the inequality for #41 was given in standard form
Students struggled much more with the tech-enhanced item than the multiple choice item
Getting full credit on the tech-enhanced item required both graphing and clicking “Solution Set” to shade in the correct portion of the graph
Instructional Implications
Students should graph inequalities by hand to mimic tech-enhanced items
Students would also benefit from a review of the two-part nature of graphing inequalities on Cambium
A.5A - 51% overall mastery
solve linear equations in one variable, including those for which the application of the distributive property is necessary and for which variables are included on both sides
#24 - 61% correct
#46 - 41% correct
Analysis
Instructional Implications
Focus more on complex equations, like #46
Have students use substitution to check their work
A.2I - 52.5% overall mastery
write systems of two linear equations given a table of values, a graph, and a verbal description
#26 - 73% correct
#39 - 32% correct
Analysis
Students had a much more difficult time writing equations given a table or graph than a verbal description
For #39, more students chose B (34%) than chose A
Using two different forms (e.g., table and graph) to generate systems of equations has been asked once before (2022 - 59% correct)
Instructional Implications
Focus on mixed media for writing systems of linear equations
Rather than working with multiple choice problems, use generative items
A.10E - 54% overall mastery
factor, if possible, trinomials with real factors in the form ax^2 + bx + c, including perfect square trinomials of degree two
#16 - 68% correct
#37 - 40% correct
Analysis
Instructional Implications
When working with students, remove answer choices so that cannot simply use the distributive property to search for the answer
Show multiple methods (e.g., factoring, quadratic formula, completing the square) so students have flexibility
A.3B - 55.5% overall mastery
calculate the rate of change of a linear function represented tabularly, graphically, or algebraically in context of mathematical and real-world problems
#7 - 43% correct
#30 - 43% full credit; 47% partial credit; 10% no credit
Analysis
Instructional Implications
Reacquaint students with formal language for describing the rate of change
Extra practice converting from standard form to slope intercept form, paying close attention to the signs of coefficients
Continue opportunities for students to describe the rate of change with words rather than simply with an expression
A.3C - 56.5% overall mastery
graph linear functions on the coordinate plane and identify key features, including x- intercept, y- intercept, zeros, and slope, in mathematical and real-world problems
#22 - 35% correct
#50 - 78% correct
Analysis
Instructional Implications
Graph, graph, graph!
Spend time converting from standard form to slope-intercept form
A.2A - 56.5% overall mastery
determine the domain and range of a linear function in mathematical problems; determine reasonable domain and range values for real-world situations, both continuous and discrete; and represent domain and range using inequalities
#23 - 46% correct
#49 - 67% correct
Analysis
Instructional Implications
Focus on real-world situations (verbal descriptions) in which the domain and range need to calculated
Build on prior knowledge of independent and dependent variables