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Writer's pictureAaron Daffern

Lessons learned from the 2024 4th Grade Math STAAR

The 2024 4th Grade Math STAAR continued 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

4.5D

2

32

4.4H

1

35

4.3E

1

39

4.8C

2

40.5

4.7C

1

46

4.3D

2

48

4.5A

2

50

4.5B

2

52

4.4A

1

55

4.2G

2

58

4.6D

1

59

 
 

Access the slide deck here.


4.5D - 32% overall mastery

solve problems related to perimeter and area of rectangles where dimensions are whole numbers


#9 - 42% correct


#24 - 22% correct

Analysis
  • Students had to derive dimensions of a square given the perimeter to calculate the area (#9)

  • Students had to find the area of a composite shape (3.6D)

  • For #24, most student (36%) chose C [perimeter]

Instructional Implications
  • Show students how to draw a representation to visualize the problem

  • Practice composite figures, finding area multiple ways and perimeter

 

4.4H - 35% overall mastery

solve with fluency one- and two-step problems involving multiplication and division, including interpreting remainders


#4 - 35% correct

Analysis
  • Students had to divide twice

  • Almost as many students chose A (29%), dividing once, as those who chose the correct answer

Instructional Implications
  • Have students draw strip diagrams to represent the relationships

  • Model for students how to use multiple strip diagrams (or a multi-part strip diagram) to solve two-step problems

 

Watch the full walkthrough of all 32 items on the 2024 4th Grade STAAR below.

 

4.3E - 39% overall mastery

represent and solve addition and subtraction of fractions with equal denominators using objects and pictorial models that build to the number line and properties of operations


#14 - 39% correct

Analysis
  • Both measurement problems involved money

  • First problem (#3) was fairly straightforward

  • Second problem (#16) was more challenging, requiring counting bills and coins, calculating change, and entering exact amount

Instructional Implications
  • Give students problems to solve involving money, including calculating change, and remove all answer choices

  • Ask variety of questions from collection of coins (e.g., How much more money until she saves $--? If she adds 3 more dimes and 4 more quarters…?)

 

4.8C - 40.5% overall mastery

solve problems that deal with measurements of length, intervals of time, liquid volumes, mass, and money using addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division as appropriate


#3 - 61% correct


#16 - 20% correct


Analysis
  • Student had to interpret a picture to name fractions and name them

  • The fraction button on the equation editor is not intuitive

Instructional Implications
  • Give students opportunities on Cambium to enter fractions

  • Show how the picture gives the answer without needing to add fractions

 

4.7C - 46% overall mastery

determine the approximate measures of angles in degrees to the nearest whole number using a protractor


#13 - 46% correct

Analysis
  • Correct answer required students to subtract measures

  • Almost as many students chose C (38%) as D

Instructional Implications
  • Use actual protractors during instruction and have students draw an angle and calculate it multiple times with different starting values

  • Use reasonableness and right angles to eliminate answer selections

 

4.3D - 48% overall mastery

compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators and represent the comparison using the symbols >, =, or <


#8 - 59% correct


#22 - 37% correct

Analysis
  • Students did fairly well with simple comparison (#8)

  • For #22, more students chose B (40%) than correct answer (A)

  • For #22, students had to compare three different denominators, all improper

Instructional Implications
  • Practice comparing fractions with three or four different denominators

  • Give students opportunities to use reasoning to quickly compare fractions

 

4.5A - 50% overall mastery

represent multi-step problems involving the four operations with whole numbers using strip diagrams and equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity


#7 - 44% correct


#23 - 37% full credit; 37% partial credit; 26% no credit

Analysis
  • For #7, students used a strip diagram to represent subtraction and division

  • Students had to correctly interpret “split evenly” with divide by 2

Instructional Implications
  • Have students draw strip diagrams to represent problems that ask for equations

  • Teach students to solve each problem, in addition to representing it, to check their answers

 

4.5B - 52% overall mastery

represent problems using an input-output table and numerical expressions to generate a number pattern that follows a given rule representing the relationship of the values in the resulting sequence and their position in the sequence


#10 - 47% correct


#32 - 57% correct


Analysis
  • Both problems involved additive relationships

  • For #32, 30% of students chose A (+7 to output, not input)

Instructional Implications
  • Ensure students know that the rule is applied from input to output, regardless of orientation of the table

  • Give students practice with adding a third column that represents the expression that applies the rule

 

4.4A - 55% overall mastery

add and subtract whole numbers and decimals to the hundredths place using the standard algorithm


#19 - 55% correct

Analysis
  • Basic decimal addition and subtraction with regrouping

  • Students had to interpret “save” and “coupon” as subtraction

Instructional Implications
  • Students should still draw a strip diagram or picture to represent the problem

  • Provide multiple terms for real-life situations that denote addition or subtraction

 

4.2g - 58% overall mastery

relate decimals to fractions that name tenths and hundredths


#5 - 64% correct


#29 - 52% correct

Analysis
  • Both problems involved improper fractions

Instructional Implications
  • Show students multiple visualizations of improper fractions and correct naming of decimals

  • Connect regrouping 10 ones into 1 ten with regrouping 10 tenths into 1 one

 

4.6D - 59% overall mastery

classify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines or the presence or absence of angles of a specified size


#28 - 39% full credit; 40% partial credit; 21% no credit

Analysis
  • Students most likely easily identified Figure R and struggled with Figure T

  • Figure T is a heptagon/septagon (7-sided)

Instructional Implications
  • Provide practice opportunities for identifying perpendicular and parallel lines with irregular shapes

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