What subjects are administered in each grade?
Grade 3 Reading and Math
Grade 4 Reading, Math, and Writing
Grade 5 Reading, Math, and Science
Grade 6 Reading and Math
Grade 7 Reading, Math, and Writing
Grade 8 Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies
Grade 7-8 (students enrolled in high school mathematics) Algebra I End-of-Course STAAR Test
Grades 9-12 Algebra I, English I and II, Biology and US History
To get started with all of the STAAR testing material offered by Testing Mom, check out our 100 Free Questions.
What is the purpose of the test?
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) is the testing program for students in Texas public schools. The assessments are based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the state-mandated curriculum. The curriculum contains the content and skills students need to learn in order to be successful in the current grade and to make academic progress from year to year. Each STAAR assessment measures what students are learning in a specific grade.
For younger students, it provides a marker of their progress over the years, In both 5th and 8th grade, math and reading must be passed for your child to pass that grade level (unless other allowances are made by the grade placement committee). In high school, the STAAR tests are required to be passed for your child to graduate.
Under current guidelines of House Bill 3 (HB 3), of the 82nd Texas Leglislature, 9th grade students will take up to 5 EOC assessments based on their participation in courses. Your child must meet a Satisfactory Academic Performance (Level II) on each EOC assessment they take in order to graduate–and will be given 3 opportunities total to pass.
What are the testing requirements for students in grades 3–8 who are receiving instruction in subjects above their enrolled grade?
These students will be required to take STAAR assessments for the subjects in which they are receiving instruction if an assessment exists. For example, a student in grade 7 who is receiving instruction in grade 8 science would take the STAAR grade 8 science assessment and the STAAR grade 7 mathematics, reading, and writing assessments.
Are there any released test questions available for STAAR?
Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released selected test questions as well as administered test forms for all grades/subjects and courses. These questions can be found here.
For more questions regarding STAAR, please refer to this document from the TEA: STAAR FAQs