What is Renaissance Star testing?
The Renaissance Star is a suite of tests which consist of Renaissance Star Early Literacy®, Renaissance Star Reading®, and Renaissance Star Math®, and Renaissance Star Spanish®. The Renaissance Star tests are used to get a thorough understanding and view of a student’s progress, achievement, and growth throughout the year. Although the Renaissance Star test is not designed for this purpose, some schools will use the Renaissance Star Reading scores and Renaissance Star Math scores as part of their criteria for gifted and talented or GATE programs.
What are the types of Renaissance Star tests?
There are 3 Renaissance Star tests: Early Literacy, Reading, and Math. As an adaptive test, the questions that appear on the tests are dependent on how a child scores on the preceding questions.
Renaissance Star Early Literacy:
The Renaissance Star Early Literacy test is designed to measure a student’s foundational literacy skills and is typically used for students in pre-K through third grade. This test assesses a student’s understanding of various early literacy concepts, including alphabetic principles, concept of word, visual discrimination, phonemic awareness, and phonics. It also measures a student’s ability to understand basic aspects of print and spoken words, like recognizing letters and understanding the sounds they make. The goal of the Early Literacy test is to identify students who may need additional support in developing these foundational literacy skills, which are crucial for their future reading development.
Renaissance Star Reading:
The Renaissance Star Reading test is designed to measure a student’s reading comprehension skills and is typically used for students from first grade through high school. This test assesses a student’s understanding of various reading comprehension strategies, such as identifying main ideas and details, making inferences, understanding sequence, and understanding words and phrases in context. It also measures a student’s reading proficiency, fluency, and vocabulary skills. The results from the Star Reading test can help educators to identify students who may need additional support in reading, and to develop personalized learning plans to improve these skills.
Renaissance Star Math:
The Renaissance Star Math test is designed to measure a student’s mathematical abilities and is typically used for students from first grade through high school. This test assesses a student’s understanding of various mathematical concepts, including number sense and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis, and probability. It also measures a student’s problem-solving skills and mathematical reasoning abilities. The results from the Star Math test can help educators to identify students who may need additional support in math, and to develop personalized learning plans to improve these skills.
How are the Renaissance Star tests administered?
Renaissance Star testing is administered using computer-adaptive tests that are given online and intuitive. That means the question difficulty adjusts based on what the student can answer correctly, or what is answered incorrectly. If a student answers a question correctly, the test adapts to give a more difficult question next; if a student answers incorrectly, the next question’s difficulty is decreased. Each student gets a personalized testing experience that can gauge whether the student is performing at, above, or below grade level in specific areas.
Some quick facts about the Renaissance Star testing
| How long do the tests take? | Each test takes around 20 minutes to complete, although some students may require more time. |
| How are the tests given? | The tasks are taken on individual computers, Chromebooks, iPads, or tablets that are at least 7’’. |
| How are the questions structured? | All questions are multiple choice, with 3-4 answer choices per questions. |
| How are test results given? | The scores are calculated at the end of the test and given to the student’s teacher, with score evaluated by class and grade at the school or district level. |
How is Renaissance Star testing used?
The Star assessments help teachers evaluate each student’s strengths and weaknesses, and can allow teachers to develop personalized instruction from their students’ results. It may also identify areas that need to be improved upon, revisted, or enriched for students, as well as monitoring growth and performance in relation to state standards and state tests. Star assessments can also be used to determine a student’s reading and math achievement level. A student’s score on the Renaissance Star Reading and Renaissance Star Math test will help determine if a child is qualified to be placed in the Accelerated Reader™ and Accelerated Math™ programs. The Early Literacy assessment helps educators monitor your child’s growth and progress towards becoming an independent reader. Renaissance Star Reading Spanish assessments help assess bilingual and dual-language students in the areas of Reading and possibly Math.
How are Renaissance Star Reading scores and Renaissance Star Math scores found?
The Renaissance Star Reading scores and Renaissance Star Math scores are Scaled Scores (SS). The score is based on two factors: 1) the difficulty of the questions and 2) the number of correct answers the child gave. Because the test is an adaptive test, some students will receive less difficult questions, depending on how they answer preceding questions on the test. The SS for Reading and Math assessments range from 0-1400, while the SS for Early Literacy ranges from 300-900. The SS aligns with math and reading skills for each grade level. For example:
- A reading SS of 0-500 corresponds to Grades 1-5
- A reading SS of 500-900 corresponds to Grades 6-8
Scaled scores are useful for comparing your child’s performance over time and across grade levels.
Scaled Score (SS): The Scaled Score is the most fundamental score in the Star Reading and Star Math tests. It’s an equal-interval score, similar to measuring height in inches or centimeters, which allows for accurate comparisons of student performance over time and across grades. In Star Reading, the SS ranges from 0 to 1400, while in Star Math, it ranges from 0 to 1600.
Percentile Rank (PR): This score compares a student’s performance with other students nationally in the same grade who took the same test. For example, if a student has a PR of 85 in Star Reading, it means they scored as well as or better than 85 percent of students nationally in the same grade.
Grade Equivalent (GE): This score represents how a student’s test performance compares with average students in other grades. For example, a 5th-grade student with a GE of 7.6 on the Star Math test performed as well on the test as an average 7th grader in the sixth month of the school year would be expected to perform.
Instructional Reading Level (IRL) – Star Reading only: This score is a criterion-referenced score that shows the highest reading level at which a student is 80% proficient at comprehending material without assistance. The IRL can help teachers to match students with appropriate reading materials.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) – Star Reading only: The ZPD is a range of reading difficulty that is not too hard nor too easy, and is the level at which optimal learning takes place. It’s ideal for guiding students’ independent reading choices and setting personalized reading practice goals.
Student Growth Percentile (SGP): This score measures a student’s growth compared to other students in the nation who had a similar test score history. An SGP of 60, for example, means the student’s growth exceeds that of 60 percent of students nationally with a similar test score history.
Remember, each of these scores provides a different perspective on a student’s performance and growth, and should be used in conjunction with each other for a comprehensive understanding of a student’s abilities and progress.
Renaissance Star Reading scores (Scaled scores)
Renaissance Star Math scores (Scaled scores)
Which Renaissance Star test will my child take?
The Renaissance Star tests are taken by students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. However, not all students take the same tests, as tests are dictated by grade level. The table below shows which tests are administered to which grade level.
| Renaissance Star Early Literacy | Renaissance Star Reading | Renaissance Star Math | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Kindergarten | All Students | No students | No students |
| Kindergarten | All Students | A few students at the end of the year | No students |
| Grade 1 | All Students | All students by the end of the year | Some students as needed |
| Grade 2 | Some students as needed | All students | All students |
| Grade 3 | A few students as needed | All students | All students |
| Grade 4 | No students | All students | All students |
| Grade 5 | No students | All students | All students |
| Grade 6 | No students | All students | All students |
| Grade 7 | No students | All students | All students |
Renaissance Early Literacy
The Renaissance Early Literacy test is designed for students pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade. The test is comprised of 27 questions, with 22 early literacy questions and 5 numeracy questions. The Early Literacy test is able to measure both early literacy and early numeracy skills. It is a universal screening assessment, as well as a way to monitor progress of students and set goals and curriculum.
The Early Literacy tests assess the following skills.
Foundational Skills
- Alphabetic Principle – General Readiness (Pre-K to K)
- Graphophonemic Knowledge (Pre-K to 1st Grade)
- Phonemic Awareness (Pre-K to 1st Grade)
- Phonics (K to 3rd Grade)
- Structural Analysis (1st to 3rd Grade)
- Vocabulary (K to 3rd Grade)
Comprehension and Meaning
- Sentence – Level Comprehension (1st to 3rd grade)
- Paragraph – Level Comprehension (1st to 3rd grade)
Numbers and Operations
- Early Numeracy (Pre-K to 3rd Grade)
Examples of Renaissance Star Early Literacy Practice Questions:
1.
I have ____ for dessert
A. lunch B. spoon C. cake
Answer: 3rd bubble (an example of Comprehension and Meaning)
2. Choose the letter that is the last sound you hear in the picture.
Answer: 3rd bubble (an example of Foundational Skills)
3. How many space rockets?
Answer: 2nd bubble (an example of Numbers and Operations)
Renaissance Star Reading assessment
The Renaissance Star Reading assessment is a K-12 assessment meant to comprehensively test a child’s skills in reading. The test provides insights on growth, high achievement, and areas that students struggle in, and is used for independent readers. The Renaissance Star Reading test allows teachers to guide students towards reading proficiency by using the test results to identify areas of improvement and excellence. The test is made up of 34 questions and takes about 20 minutes to complete, although some students may require more time. The test assesses a child’s reading comprehension through short comprehension questions and extended comprehension questions.Because the Renaissance Star Reading test is an adaptive online assessment, the difficulty of questions your child will receive is dependent on how they answer the preceding questions. The Renaissance Star Reading test assesses the following skills:
| Skills | Concepts |
|---|---|
Reading: Literature | Key Ideas and Details Character Setting Plot Theme Summary Inference and Evidence Craft and Structure Point of View Structure of Literary Text Word Meaning Connotation Author’s Word Choice and Figurative Language Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Modes of Representation Analysis and Comparison Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity |
Reading: Informational Text | Key Ideas and Details Prediction Main Idea and Details Inference and Evidence Sequence Compare and Contrast Cause and Effect Connections and Relationships Summary Craft and Structure Text Features Author’s Purpose and Perspective Word Meaning Organization Author’s Word Choice and Figurative Language Connotation Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Modes of Representation Argumentation Analysis and Comparison Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity |
| Language | Vocabulary Acquisition and Use Word Relationships Structural Analysis Context Clues Real-Life Word Connections and Applications Vocabulary in Context Antonyms Multiple-Meaning Words Synonyms Word Reference Materials Figure of Speech |
Example of Renaissance Star Reading Practice Questions
A thermostat allows someone to control the temperature in a room. What does the root therm mean?
A. permission B. weather C. heat
Answer: C – heat
Renaissance Star Math Assessment
The Renaissance Star Math assessment is a test meant for students grades 1-12. The Renaissance Star Math assessment helps assess a student’s knowledge of math concepts, helping move them towards proficiency and mastery in math skills. The data allows teachers to determine areas of struggle, excellence, or improvement in students throughout the year and in accordance with state mathematics standards. The Renaissance Star Math assessment is made up of 34 questions and should take about 20 minutes to complete, however some students may require longer. The test is adaptive, meaning that the difficulty of what the student sees on the test is dependent on how many questions they answer correctly or incorrectly. Below are skills tested by the Renaissance Star Math Assessment:
| Skills | Concepts |
|---|---|
Counting and Cardinality | Whole Numbers: Counting, Comparing, and Ordering |
Operations and Algebraic Thinking | Whole Numbers: Addition and Subtraction Whole Numbers: Multiplication and Division Algebraic Thinking Evaluate Numerical Expressions |
Geometry | Geometry: Two-Dimensional Shapes and Attributes Geometry: Three-Dimensional Shapes and Attributes Congruence and Similarity Fraction Concepts and Operations Coordinate Geometry Perimeter, Circumference, and Area Surface Area and Volume Angles, Segments, and Lines Transformations Transformations Right Triangles and Trigonometry |
Expression and Equations | Evaluate Numerical Expressions Evaluate and Use Variable Expressions Linear Equations and Inequalities Powers, Roots, and Radicals Quadratic and Nonlinear Equations and Inequalities Systems of Equations and Inequalities |
Number and Operations – Fractions | Fraction Concepts and Operations Decimal Concepts and Operations |
Functions | Relations and Functions |
Ratios and Proportional Relationships | Percents, Ratios, and Proportions |
The Number System | Integers Coordinate Geometry Whole Numbers: Multiplication and Division Fraction Concepts and Operations Decimal Concepts and Operations |
| Measurement and Data | Measurement Time Money Geometry: Two-Dimensional Shapes and Attributes Data Representation and Analysis Whole Numbers: Counting, Comparing, and Ordering Whole Numbers: Addition and Subtraction Perimeter, Circumference, and Area Angles, Segments, and Lines Surface Area and Volume |
| Number and Operations in Base Ten | Whole Numbers: Place Value Whole Numbers: Counting, Comparing, and Ordering Whole Numbers: Addition and Subtraction Whole Numbers: Multiplication and Vision Decimal Concepts and Operations Powers, Roots, and Radicals |
Statistics and Probability | Data Representation and Analysis Combinatorics and Probabilities |
Examples of Renaissance Star Math Assessment Practice Questions:
What is the missing number in the following equation? 1.23 – ? = 0.75
A. 0.48 B. 1.98 C. -0.43 D. 0.51
Answer: A – 0.48
Answer: D – equilateral triangle
Renaissance Star Spanish
The Renaissance Star Spanish tests are Spanish versions of the Early Literacy, Reading, and Math Star Assessments, meant for testing Spanish-speaking English Learners, dual-language, and immersion students. This set of tests is meant to gauge strengths, weaknesses, and growth in emergent bilinguals, creating a complete picture of what a student is able to do in English and in Spanish by using both the English Star Assessments and Spanish Star Assessments.The Spanish Star tests are adaptive tests, meaning that the difficulty of questions given to students is dependent on the answers they give in earlier questions. Below are skills touched upon in the Spanish Renaissance Star assessments:
| Test | Skills | Concepts |
|---|---|---|
Renaissance Star Early Literacy | Foundational Skills | Print Concepts Phonological Awareness Phonics and Word Recognition Fluency Vocabulary Acquisition and Use |
| Renaissance Star Reading | Informational Text & Literature | Key Ideas and Details Craft and Structure Integration of Knowledge & Skills Range of Reading & Text Complexity |
| Language | Vocabulary Acquisition and Use | |
| Renaissance Star Math | General Math Skills | Counting and Cardinality Operations and Algebraic Thinking Numbers and Operations in Base Ten Measurement and Data Geometry Fraction Concepts and Operations Ratios and Proportional Relationships The Number System |
| Expressions and Equations | Statistics and Probability Functions |
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