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How MasteryPrep Boot Camps Can Boost Your District’s STAAR Scores

  • Dr. Mya Asberry
  • October 25, 2023

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam scores have important implications for school and district ratings and independence teacher pay, and student success. However, preparing for these high-stakes exams can place a significant burden on both students and teachers.

But STAAR performance gains don’t have to come at the expense of student mental health or a well-rounded education. The MasteryPrep for STAAR program offers a complete exam prep solution that builds students’ confidence and delivers teachers ready-to-use tools that they can integrate into their own lesson plans.

One of MasteryPrep for STAAR’s most popular features is its distinctive Boot Camp Service, which has helped tens of thousands of students achieve measurable improvement in their STAAR scores after a single half-day session. Implementing this evidence-based tool can help districts build a virtuous circle of higher test scores, increased funding, and ongoing success.

  • The MasteryPrep Boot Camp Approach
MasteryPrep offers Boot Camp sessions for all six STAAR End of Course exams: Algebra I, English I, English II, U.S. History, and Biology. Each Boot Camp consists of a single half-day session focused on one subject—schools or districts can choose which subject or subjects to offer.

Because standardized testing success involves more than subject matter knowledge, MasteryPrep’s Boot Camps pair a thorough review of the most heavily tested educational standards with the tools and skills students need to master the test format. These include test-taking and guessing strategies, tips to avoid common mistakes, and test technology instructions. Since stress can negatively impact test outcomes, the Boot Camp also includes discussions about overcoming test anxiety and preparing more effectively.

Aubrey ISD, TX

Case Study: Aubrey ISD

Aubrey ISD, located in Denton County, received an accountability rating of B in the 2021-2022 school year. 27.5% of its student body are at risk of dropping out before graduation.

The district used MasteryPrep for STAAR Boot Camp in both English I and English II and saw a notable improvement in scores. Overall, the district saw a mean reduction of 38.49% in students scoring Did Not Meet. Subject-specific scores also improved for both English I and English II.

English I

  • The percentage of students who scored Approaches increased by 14 points, from 69% to 83%.
  • The percentage of students who scored Meets also improved by 14 points, from 52% to 66%.

English II

  • The percentage of students who scored at least Approaches increased by 7 points, moving from 78% to 85%.
  • Evidence-Based Programming Drives Measurable Results
MasteryPrep delivers over 1,000 Boot Camps to more than 100,000 students each year to help them prepare for tests ranging from the SAT and ACT to state-specific end of course exams like STAAR. The approach has a strong track record of success backed up by data.

MasteryPrep recently conducted an extensive analysis of the impact of the Boot Camps by comparing 2022 and 2023 STAAR scores in schools and districts that implemented MasteryPrep’s Boot Camps in spring 2023. This diverse data set (obtained from the Texas Education Agency) encompassed 16 school districts and 27,928 students. Key findings include:

  • 87.5% of schools and districts that utilized MasteryPrep’s Boot Camp for STAAR experienced both a decrease in the percentage of students who scored Did Not Meet and an increase in the percentage who scored Approaches.
    • The number of students who scored Did Not Meet—and would therefore need to retest to graduate—decreased by 23.9%.
    • The number of students who scored Approaches increased by an average of 9.65%.
  • In 68.8% of participating schools, the percentage of students who scored at least Meets increased, with an average increase of 5.7%.
  • 100% of districts saw increases in students scoring at least Approaches on the English II, Biology, and U.S. History exams.

While this analysis cannot definitively prove causality, it suggests that the MasteryPrep Boot Camp for STAAR can make a real difference to student, school, and district outcomes.

Bandera ISD, TX

Case Study: Bandera ISD

Nearly half of the students in Bandera ISD, located northwest of San Antonio, are economically disadvantaged. In the 2021-2022 school year, the district received an accountability label of “Not Rated” (the rating given to districts that would have typically received a D or F).

After implementing the MasteryPrep for STAAR Boot Camp in Algebra I, the district saw significant test score improvements.

  • The percentage of students who reached Approaches increased by 39 points, from 36% to 75%.
  • The percentage of students who scored Meets improved by 12 points, from 7% to 19%.
  • The mean reduction in students scoring Did Not Meet was 60.94%.
  • Boot Camp Format Options
MasteryPrep Boot Camps can be delivered in three formats to suit your school or district’s unique needs. All three options are self-contained, with no preparation required from the school or district.
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Live In-Person

A MasteryPrep-certified instructor will travel to your site to deliver the Boot Camp in person. Our approach is high-energy and engaging to ensure that students stay focused and get as much as possible out of the session. Each participating student receives a workbook containing exercises to complete during the Boot Camp and extra practice content that they can use until test day. There are no attendance caps on live in-person sessions.

MasteryPrep Booster Classes

Live Virtual

The live virtual Boot Camp option brings the same expert instructors to your students via a live stream. They use tried and tested techniques to ensure students are as engaged as they would be in person. Each participating student receives the same workbook given to in-person attendees, allowing them to follow along and review materials on their own before the test. Live virtual events are limited to 100 attendees, with a recording available to students who miss the session.

MasteryPrep Snap Course

On-Demand SnapCourse

With the on-demand SnapCourse option, students progress at their own pace through a digital course designed to simulate tutoring. The program uses short videos that keep students from losing focus, adaptive learning pathways that add context in areas where students need additional help, and interactive exercises to cement learning. SnapCourse can be accessed on any device using any major browser and does not require an app download.

  • Improve Scores without Increasing Teacher Workload
Teachers have limited capacity to create and deliver test prep materials and don’t have access to the technological tools to replicate the test-taking experience.

MasteryPrep’s Boot Camps for STAAR require no additional work from teachers and offer students a thorough review of core academic concepts as well as test-taking techniques proven to drive success. With flexible scheduling and online and in-person options, Boot Camps give districts the tools to ensure STAAR success without putting undue pressure on teachers or students.

Click here to learn more about how MasteryPrep Boot Camps can help your district boost its STAAR scores.

Picture of About the Author: Dr. Mya Asberry
About the Author: Dr. Mya Asberry

Dr. Mya Asberry is the Instructional Services Manager at MasteryPrep, specializing in instructional effectiveness and internal and external professional development. As a former Chief Academic Officer with over 20 years of educational experience, Dr. Asberry connects teachers and students with the resources and strategies that positively impact college readiness outcomes.

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ACT® is the registered trademark of ACT, Inc. Some items in MasteryPrep programs are the copyrighted content of ACT, Inc. and are reproduced with permission. SAT® is a trademark of the College Board. MasteryPrep LLC has no affiliation with College Board MasteryPrep SAT programs are not approved or endorsed by College Board. The Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) is an ACCUPLACER® exam, which is a trademark of College Board. MasteryPrep has no affiliation with College Board or the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), and the TSIA2 Mastery program is not approved or endorsed by College Board or the TSI. WorkKeys® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. The WorkKeys programs are not approved or endorsed by ACT, Inc.

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