Quick Facts

• STAAR tests will be more rigorous than the TAKS test
• STAAR will measure college and career readiness
• STAAR covers grades 3 - 11
• STAAR includes 12 end-of-course assessments at high school

STAAR For Parents & Stakeholders Webcast
A 30 minute webcast by Ty Duncan at Region 17 with information on why STAAR is coming, the implications of STAAR on instruction, and the logistical issues of STAAR  (Link to Webcast)

What is STAAR?
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) beginning in the spring of 2012.   This new testing system addresses legislative mandates outlined by Senate Bill 1031 in 2007 and House Bill 3 in 2009. While designed to test students’ knowledge and skills in a deeper way, STAAR will continue to be based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

What’s different about STAAR?
The STAAR Program in grades 3-8 will assess the same subjects and grades that are currently assessed by TAKS, but STAAR tests will be more rigorous than the TAKS tests and require a higher level of student performance.

STAAR assessments are designed to measure a student’s college and career readiness. These readiness standards will be defined by those TEKS considered critical for success in the current grade/course and important for preparedness for subsequent grades/courses, and ultimately for college and career.

The majority of the test (60-65 percent) will concentrate on these readiness standards, but STAAR will also assess other TEKS for the current grade/course -- known as supporting standards. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) provides more information about the assessed curriculum for each STAAR test at www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/.

The most significant difference between the TAKS and STAAR testing systems will be seen at the high school level. Under the TAKS system, high school students have to pass only four exit-level tests to graduate. These tests  do not count toward their course grades.

Under STAAR, first time high school freshmen in 2011-2012 will be required to take end-of-course (EOC) assessments in the foundation subject areas: Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II, biology, chemistry, physics, English I, English II, English III, world geography, world history, and U.S. history.

How will the STAAR score affect a student's grade?
Fifteen percent of the EOC score will count toward the student's final grade for the corresponding course, which will be reported on the student's transcript. The other 85 percent will be determined from the classroom semester grades.

What are the tests for grades 3-8?

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is still developing several aspects of the STAAR testing system. This information guide will be updated as new information becomes available, and TEA will post additional resources to its STAAR webpage as they are finalized.