Lessons learned from the 2024 7th Grade Math STAAR

The 2024 7th Grade Math STAAR 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.

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Standard	# of items	% mastery
7.9D	2	32
7.9B	2	37.5
7.4A	2	39
7.7A	2	39.5
7.11A	2	40
7.6I	2	44
7.3B	2	45
7.6G	2	46
7.4D	2	47
7.9A	1	52
7.12A	2	53.5
7.6H	2	54

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Access the slide deck here.

7.9C - 32% overall mastery

determine the area of composite figures containing combinations of rectangles, squares, parallelograms, trapezoids, triangles, semicircles, and quarter circles

#12 - 17% correct

#36 - 47% correct

Analysis

• For #12, text entry raised difficulty

• For #12, students could have formula for area of trapezoid

• For #36, 26% of students chose B, ignoring the two triangles

Instructional Implications

• Practice decomposing each shape into different shapes and calculating

  • #12, two trapezoids + square or three rectangles + two triangles

  • #36, two rectangles + two triangles or trapezoid + rectangle

• Remove answer choices from multiple choice items to increase rigor

• Show how to calculate area by finding total and removing a section (#12)

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7.9B - 37.5% overall mastery

determine the circumference and area of circles

#14 - 31% correct

#25 - 44% correct

Analysis

• For #14, had to find radius when given area, which means dividing by 3.14 and taking the square root (first time asked)

• For #25, had to find area given diameter (not radius)

Instructional Implications

• Use estimates for pi (e.g., 3) to practice solving for radius given the area

• Use given radii answers to substitute into the formula for area to solve

• Given diameter, practice finding both area and circumference to practice differentiating between the two

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Watch the full walkthrough of all 38 items on the 2024 7th Grade STAAR below.

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7.4A - 39% overall mastery

represent constant rates of change in mathematical and real-world problems given pictorial, tabular, verbal, numeric, graphical, and algebraic representations, including d = rt

#16 - 49% correct

#30 - 29% correct

Analysis

• For #16, rate was given in cents and y-axis was in dollars

• For #30, rate was given with a mixed number

• For #30, multiple points could have been correctly selected

Instructional Implications

• Practice slightly adjusting units when giving rates and graphing them (e.g., 0.5 m per hour and the y-axis shows meters)

• Practice graphing on paper first, showing multiple points that all sit on the same line, before moving to online platform

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7.7A - 39.5% overall mastery

represent linear relationships using verbal descriptions, tables, graphs, and equations that simplify to the form y = mx + b

#15 - 30% correct

#18 - 29% full credit; 40% partial credit; 31% no credit

Analysis

• For #15, more students chose B (32%) than correct answer [y=2x+3]

• For #15, 24% chose A [y=1/2x]

• For #18, students had to translate a verbal description into a table of values (with decimals), a graph, and an equation

Instructional Implications

• Spend time exploring how the slope-intercept form of a linear equation translates directly onto a graph (e.g., y-intercept)

• Take four iterations of linear equations (i.e., table, equation, graph, verbal description) and turn into a matching game to stamp their interchangeability

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7.11A - 40% overall mastery

model and solve one-variable, two-step equations and inequalities

#10 - 35% full credit; 35% partial credit; 30% no credit

#34 - 27% correct

Analysis

• For #10, students had to know what happens to the inequality when you multiply or divide by a negative number

• For #34, percent chosen for B, C, and D were all 27% (A was 19%)

• For #34, students had to combine like terms (4 and -8) and then multiply by 2 to isolate the variable

Instructional Implications

• Show students how to check their work with substitution to verify that the inequality changes when multiplying or dividing by a negative

• Practice combining like terms (both constants and variables) when solving equations

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7.6I - 44% overall mastery

determine experimental and theoretical probabilities related to simple and compound events using data and sample spaces

#13 - 33% correct

#31 - 55% correct

Analysis

• Students were more successful with the simple probability (#31) than the compound probability (#13)

• For #13, more students chose C (41%) than correct answer [divided # of events described by total number of events]

Instructional Implications

• Students should have practice identifying situation as either a simple or compound event and verbally describing the process to solve

• Sample spaces can be useful for identifying possible outcomes for compound events

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7.3B - 45% overall mastery

apply and extend previous understandings of operations to solve problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of rational numbers

#5 - 35% correct

#24 - 55% correct

Analysis

• For #5, students had to find the partial sum and subtract from one whole

• For #5, 27% of students chose B (add all numbers and simplify)

• For #24, 23% of students chose B (treat each type equally)

Instructional Implications

• Show students how to draw strip diagram to organize thinking and identify the correct operations needed

• Extra practice with finding least common denominator of multiple fractions

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7.6G - 46% overall mastery

solve problems using data represented in bar graphs, dot plots, and circle graphs, including part-to-whole and part-to-part comparisons and equivalents

#11 - 33% correct

#21 - 34% full credit; 49% partial credit; 17% no credit

Analysis

• For #11, almost as many students chose A (29% - total bike riders) and B (28% - difference in percentages) as the correct answer (C)

• For #11, total number of employees (150) added an extra step

• For #21, students had to find the fraction and percent of a whole to successfully read the data

Instructional Implications

• First practice reading circle graphs when the total is 100 and then add complexity by changing the total

• Dot plots and bar graphs are about finding a fraction/percent of the data, not simply reading the graph

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7.4D - 47% overall mastery

solve problems involving ratios, rates, and percents, including multi-step problems involving percent increase and percent decrease, and financial literacy problems

#20 - 41% correct

#37 - 37% full credit; 32% partial credit; 31% no credit

Analysis

• For #20, 26% of students chose A (discount) and 29% of students chose C (210 - 25)

• For the first time, students were tested with a ratio given in three parts (#37)

Instructional Implications

• This standard contains many breakouts, including percent increase and decrease (tested 2023)

• Students should solidify their understanding as percents as a ratio (per 100) to build their schema

• Work with ratios given in 3, 4, or even 5 parts to increase stamina

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7.9A - 52% overall mastery

generate equivalent forms of fractions, decimals, and percents using real-world problems, including problems that involve money

#4 - 52% correct

Analysis

• Both B and h were given, students just had to select correct formula (V=⅓Bh)

• 29% of students chose C, incorrectly using formula for volume of a prism/cylinder (V=Bh)

Instructional Implications

• Drawing a representation, even if difficult, will help students select the correct formula

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7.12a - 53.5% overall mastery

compare two groups of numeric data using comparative dot plots or box plots by comparing their shapes, centers, and spreads

#17 - 48% correct

#32 - 59% correct

Analysis

• For #17, students had to be familiar with range, IQR, and mean

• For #17, 31% of students chose C (confused mean with median)

• For #32, the only term students had to know was symmetric

Instructional Implications

• Data problems are more about vocabulary that calculation

• Have students differentiate data representations that can be used to calculate mean (e.g., dot plot, list) and those that cannot (e.g., box plot, histogram)

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7.6H - 54% overall mastery

solve problems using qualitative and quantitative predictions and comparisons from simple experiments

#6 - 11% full credit; 51% partial credit; 37% no credit

#29 - 71% correct

Analysis

• For #6, key term most likely overlooked is “more than”

• #29 is about as easy as you can get on a STAAR test

Instructional Implications

• Remind students that questions about predictions and experiments are more about reading than calculation

• Show them how the most obvious wrong answer was available (i.e., biography) to trip them up