STAAR is an assessment program designed to measure the extent to which students have learned and are able to apply the knowledge and skills defined in the state-mandated curriculum standards, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Every STAAR question is directly aligned to the TEKS currently implemented for the grade/subject or course being assessed. STAAR includes assessments for:

Mathematics in grades 3–5
Reading language arts (RLA) in grades 3-5
Science in grade 5

STAAR Alternate 2 (STAAR Alt 2) is designed to assess students in grades 3–8 and high school who have significant cognitive disabilities and are receiving special education services. STAAR Alt 2 includes assessments for:

Mathematics in grades 3–5
Reading language arts (RLA) in grades 3-5

STAAR Spanish is administered to eligible students for whom a Spanish version of STAAR is the most appropriate measure of their academic progress. STAAR Spanish tests are grade-level assessments and test the same grades and subjects as the general STAAR. STAAR Spanish includes assessments for:

Mathematics in grades 3–5
Reading language arts (RLA) in grades 3-5
Science in grade 5

STAAR field test: Districts can be chosen to participate in field tests to make sure that newly-developed items measure what they were intended to measure. Field testing contributes to the development of fair, high-quality tests. Students do not receive scores on field-test items. It is best practice to field test all items prior to using them to calculate a student’s score. An item should not contribute to a student’s score until the item has been shown to be accurate, fair and valid.

Assessments

Early Childhood

Teaching Strategies Gold

Early Screening Inventory-Revised (ESI-R)

Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) progress monitoring

Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (eDECA)

Elementary School

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®)

Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS/TELPAS Alt)

Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth

Spring Benchmark Assessment

mCLASS

Kingore Observation Inventory (KOI) + planned experiences

Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT)/Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

Middle School

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®)

Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS/TELPAS Alt)

Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth

Fall & Spring Benchmark Assessments

Semester Exams

Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA)

Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT)/Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

High School

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®)

Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS/TELPAS Alt)

Fall & Spring Benchmark Assessments

Semester Exams

Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

Advanced Placement Program® (AP) exams

Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT)/Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA2)