All About the STAAR Test
Information for Parents About the STAAR Test
- Who?
- All public school students in Texas, grades 3–12, take STAAR tests.
- What?
- STAAR is the state’s testing program and is based on state curriculum standards in core subjects including reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies.
- When?
- Grades 3–8 STAAR tests are given in the spring. End-of-course assessments (EOC) are given throughout the year. The number of tests your child takes each year will depend on what grade he or she is in. Most students will have two to four testing days during the school year.
- Where?
- STAAR tests are given to students at their own school, in regular classrooms that have been set up to make it easy to focus on the test. If students have certain special needs and require special accommodations, they may be tested in a different area of the school.
- Why?
- STAAR tests are designed to measure what students are learning in each grade and whether or not they are ready for the next grade. The goal is to ensure that all students receive what they need to be academically successful. Meeting these individual student needs depends greatly on schools, parents, and community members working together.
- How?
- STAAR tests for grades 3–8 and EOC assessments are offered in both online and paper formats.
What is the STAAR Test?
What is STAAR and why do we have it? Watch this short video for an overview of STAAR and its purpose.
How the STAAR is Born
There is an art to developing the STAAR test. Watch this short video for a behind-the-scenes look at how the STAAR test is built, including how test questions are designed.
Want more details about the specifics of the STAAR test?
Testing Calendar
Grades 3–8 STAAR tests are given in the spring. End-of-course assessments (EOC) are given throughout the year. Download this calendar to find out when your child will be tested in the coming school year.
High School STAAR Overview
High school students who entered the ninth grade in the 2011–2012 school year or later must take and pass certain required courses and EOC assessments to graduate from a Texas public high school. These are English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. History. If a student takes and passes any of these EOC assessments end-of-course exams in middle school, those scores will count toward their state testing requirements for graduation.
Language Proficiency Assessment Committees
LPACs make testing decisions for English learners, including test accommodations, alternate tests, etc.
Testing Accommodations for Students With Special Needs
Certain students with special needs may qualify for special accommodations in order to help them complete STAAR tests. These could be in-classroom accommodations such as extra time, taking the test online, or sound or sight supports, for example. These accommodations are decided on in partnership among students, parents, teachers, administrators, and TEA officials and must be approved in advance of test day.
Watch a Video about Online AccommodationsDownload a PDF about Testing Accommodations
Helpful Links
Check out the links below to quickly get where you need to go:
STAAR Alternate 2, TELPAS, and TELPAS Alternate Resources
Special Education Information and Call Center
Supplemental Special Education Services (SSES)
This program gives one-time $1500 grants to families of students served by special education.
