HIT:STAR TEST

[FerkinsS <FerkinsS@ten-nash.ten.k12.tn.us>]

I have gotten so many responses on the Star Test.  Since it is rather
long I will make a couple of postings.  Following are the responses.
Many thanks again!

Susan Ferkin, Librarian
Crump Elem.
Mempis, TN

__________________________________________________________________________



Please bear with me. One day last week I announced to some colleagues
across the hall, "I hate AR with every fiber of my being!"
Today, I confirm that fact.

We have AR and STAR running on a WIN NT network with IBM machines.  Our
server has gone down three times so far this year. (power surges,
construction, etc.)
Each time the server goes down we lose information in both programs.  I
lost two days of tests last week in AR.
I lost STAR test scores and student names for all year.
I spent one whole day last week with technical support working out
problems.  Today I am still trying to fix the program at 2:15 p.m.
I think I could have read aloud a book, written and given and graded a
test in the time I have spent with these programs.
AR does seem to be improving reading levels in our elementary.  But, in
the secondary school, only our sixth grade teachers and one 7-8 teacher
are really using the program.
In addition, my secondary students will not pick up anything to read
that is not AR. They are missing out on a lot of good literature. I
began by ordering the sets and the tests but discovered that many of the

titles were old.  Now I order my books and then the AR tests that are
available.

One more thing, AR tells us that each time new hardware or software is
added to our network, the Vreader and opportunistic locking and one
other file should be run on each computer. We have 50 running AR.
Our part-time technician refuses to do so, saying it isn't necessary.
It seems like such an expensive and greatly touted program such as
AR/STAR should not require working on each machine or constant tech
support.
_______________________________________________________________________________

I've worked at 2 different schools with AR, one has STAR and the
other didn't.  Using STAR is best I think because it's purpose is to
evaluate the child's reading for an independent reading level that
corresponds directly with the AR.   It also helps to have the whole
school,, every classroom doing the same thing.  Everybody knows
to give a STAR test then assign the kid an AR level to read.  At the
other school I was at, teachers had to come up with ways to
assign the kid a level which resulted in no school wide
consistency.  Teachers who bothered to evaluate the kids used
different ways to evaluate a child, but most of the teachers didn't
evaluate them for a level because it was something else to
research and do.  I'd say STAR is worth the effort.  It's sset up so
you can test the kid at the beginning of the year and again , say 3
months later, and it'll give you a growth report.  It'll also print up
reports to send home to your parents.
That's my 2 cents.
_________________________________________________________________________________



My teachers love the STAR test as another assesement tool for reading
levels, particularly to measure growth. We give the test three times a
year and even those teachers who don't use Accelerated Reader (it's an
optional supplement at our school), still use STAR.
__________________________________________________________________________________

We use both the Star and AR.  I really believe that they go hand in
hand.
If a new student comes into our building the teacher immediately wants
them
Star tested.  We believe it is worth the investment.

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