STAR Test Scores: Parent's Guide

Renaissance STAR Assessments are standardized tests designed to evaluate students' skills in reading, math, and early literacy. These assessments provide valuable insights into a student's academic performance, helping educators and parents understand a child's abilities and guide individualized instruction.

Many types of scores go into the report compiled to monitor your child's academic progress. 

By understanding what each score means, parents can better support their child’s academic journey. The Star Reading, Star Math, and Star Early Literacy scores provide actionable insights into your child’s progress and areas of strength and challenge. Whether the goal is improving literacy, strengthening math skills, or building early foundational knowledge, these scores are a tool for targeted support and growth.

A good score on the STAR test depends on several factors, including the student's grade level and the specific subject being tested. Generally, a score that places the student "At/Above Benchmark" is considered a strong performance. A Percentile Rank (PR) of 50 or above is typically considered good, indicating average or above-average performance compared to grade-level peers nationally. 

The STAR test is a comprehensive assessment tool that provides multiple scores to help educators and parents gain a deeper understanding of a student's performance. By deciphering these scores, you can identify areas of strength and weakness, and develop targeted strategies to support your child's learning journey.

• One of the key benefits of the Scaled Score (SS): is that it allows parents and teachers to track a child’s progress over time, even across different grade levels. By comparing the current score to previous test results, parents and teachers can gauge whether the child is improving in key areas like reading comprehension, vocabulary, or math fluency. 

• Growth Percentile (SGP): If a student’s growth percentile is high (e.g., 70+), it shows that the child is making more progress than the average student nationwide, indicating successful interventions and teaching strategies. If the growth percentile is lower, it might signal that the child is not progressing as expected and may need additional support. 

• The Star Reading, Star Math, and Star Early Literacy assessments offer a comprehensive view of where a child excels and where they may need additional support. 

• For Reading: A Grade Equivalent (GE) score tells whether a child is reading at, above, or below grade level. If a student’s scaled score is lower than expected for their grade, teachers and parents can provide additional STAR reading practice or focused literacy interventions. For example, a low Grade Equivalent score might indicate that a child is struggling with comprehension, fluency, or phonics. 

• For Math: Similarly, the Star Math test scores show whether a student is meeting the expected math standards for their grade level. A Domain Score will point out specific areas, such as number sense, operations, or problem-solving, where the student may need focused instruction. If a student’s Percentile Rank (PR) is low, teachers can review which areas of math are challenging for the student and create a plan for improvement. 

• For Early Literacy: Early literacy assessments are particularly useful for younger students. The Star Early Literacy score can show whether a child is ready for more advanced reading activities or if they need more work on basic skills like letter recognition, phonics, or fluency 

• The Grade Equivalent (GE) and Percentile Rank scores allow both parents and teachers to set realistic academic goals. 

• For Teachers: Teachers can set individual learning goals for each student based on where they are performing compared to national norms. For instance, if a student is reading at a Grade Equivalent level of 4.2 but is in 3rd grade, the teacher may focus on keeping the student challenged with 4th-grade material while also reinforcing core skills that they might be missing. 

• For Parents: Parents can use these scores to understand where their child is excelling and where they need to focus their attention. A percentile rank of 85 means that the child is doing better than 85% of their peers, which is something to celebrate, but a percentile rank of 40 might signal that extra help is needed. This allows parents to approach areas where their child needs support in a strategic way. 

The Student Growth Percentile (SGP) and changes in Scaled Scores over time are excellent indicators of how well a child is responding to interventions. 

• For Teachers: If a teacher has implemented a specific intervention (e.g., extra reading practice, math tutoring, or phonics drills), they can look at the child’s SGP and other scores to see if the child’s academic growth has increased. If there is minimal progress, the intervention might need to be adjusted or intensified. 

• For Parents: Parents can monitor whether their child’s performance improves after a period of extra support at home, such as more reading time or math practice. If progress is slow, parents can collaborate with teachers to explore new strategies or additional resources. 

For younger children, the Star Early Literacy scores can identify gaps early in the academic journey, allowing teachers and parents to provide early interventions that can prevent more significant challenges later on. 

• For Teachers: Teachers can use these scores to implement interventions at an early stage. For example, if a student is struggling with phonemic awareness, the teacher can provide additional phonics lessons to help the student develop stronger reading skills. 

• For Parents: Parents can help their children overcome gaps in foundational literacy and math skills by using targeted practice tools and activities recommended by teachers, or using adivice and games focused on early literacy skills. 

Star scores also provide parents with a great way to motivate children by acknowledging achievements, no matter how small. 

• For Parents: Sharing progress with children and celebrating milestones can boost their motivation and self-esteem. If a child shows growth, even if their scores are not yet at grade level, it’s important to recognize their improvement and encourage continued effort. This positive reinforcement helps children feel confident and motivated to keep improving 

STAR Assessment scores are powerful tools for understanding and supporting a child's academic journey. By carefully interpreting these scores and working collaboratively, parents and teachers can provide targeted support that helps children develop strong foundational skills and a love for learning.

While STAR scores are valuable, it's important to remember they are just one measure of academic performance. Schools typically consider multiple factors when making educational decisions for students. The scores should be used in conjunction with classroom performance, teacher observations, and other assessments to create a comprehensive educational plan tailored to your child's needs.