8th Grade Math TAKS Test Information: What Students Can Expect
School districts typically require 8th graders to take a statewide test that assesses how well they've learned the content standards for that year. If your child will soon be taking the Texas 8th grade math test, keep reading for suggestions about how to prepare!
TAKS Test Information: 8th Grade Math
TAKS Test Update
The Texas Education Agency no longer administers the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). It has been replaced by the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR. The STAAR tests students in grades 3-8 on mathematics and reading. In addition, writing, science and social studies assessments are given at certain grade levels.
STAAR Basics
The main difference between the TAKS and the STAAR will be the level of rigor. On the STAAR test, students will be required to think about problems on a deeper level because the questions are designed to require a higher level of critical thinking. Another difference between the two exams is that most of the STAAR tests will be longer than the TAKS test they replace.
The STAAR test for 8th grade math will consist of 56 questions, including 52 multiple-choice questions and four open-ended questions. Once the student calculates the answer to one of the open-ended questions, he or she will simply fill in a number bubble corresponding to each digit in the answer.
8th Grade Assessed Curriculum
Students will be responsible for showing mastery in five different categories on the new STAAR test. These categories include the following:
- Numbers, operations and quantitative reasoning
- Patterns, relationships and algebraic reasoning
- Geometry and spatial reasoning
- Probability and statistics
- Measurement
In addition to these major categories, students will also be assessed on underlying processes and mathematical tools. However, instead of being tested separately, these skills will be incorporated into the existing test questions. For example, a question on geometry might also test the student's ability to select an appropriate tool or technique to solve a problem. Here are a few more examples of underlying processes and tools your 8th grader should be familiar with:
- Making conjectures based on patterns
- Using mathematical properties to verify conclusions
- Communicating ideas using algebraic models
- Applying math concepts to everyday life
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