Under the "automated scoring engine," artificial intelligence technology to score students' tests is expected to free up $15 to $20 million, which the state would typically use to pay for human scorers. The new scoring system comes after the TEA revamped the state's standardized testing, also known as STAAR, last year. Changes included additional open-ended questions or short constructed responses and fewer multiple-choice questions.
TEA's Director of Student Assessment, Jose Rios, told the Tribune the state hired around 2,000 human scorers this year, a small margin compared to the 6,000 employed in 2023.
According to a scoring report by the TEA, students' responses will be graded first by a computer. A hired human scorer will grade roughly 25 percent of those responses. If the computer has a "low confidence" score, it will also be re-scored by a human. Some tests are also up for review if the computer's programming catches unrecognizable responses like slang words, phrases, or languages other than English. "The purpose of this routine is to ensure that unusual or borderline responses receive fair and accurate scores," TEA wrote in the December report.
According to the Tribune, students and parents who disagree with the computer and human scores can request a rescore for $50. The fee can be waived if the computer's or human's score is wrong. TEA guidelines state that the STAAR test measures how much a student has learned about a subject. STAAR test scores also largely determine how the state's education agency grades districts and campuses through its A-F accountability system. Students in Texas start STAAR testing beginning in 3rd grade.
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