With the right preparation, a STAAR test is just an opportunity for your students to show off. And with a STAAR released test — a past test released by the state of Texas for test prep purposes — it’s easy to practice with your students so they know what to expect when test time comes around. Here’s what you should know about the STAAR Test (and the STAAR Released Test) and how to prepare students!
What is a STAAR Test?
The State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) is a state testing program that launched in Spring 2012. The purpose of the STAAR test is to measure what students have learned and how they are able to apply their skills and knowledge as specified in TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, the Texas curriculum standard). Every question tested in STAAR is aligned to TEKS learning standards for every subject and grade being accessed.
Starting in third grade, STAAR tests students in the standard core subjects:
- Reading and math (grades 3-8)
- Science (grades 5 and 8)
- Social studies (grade 8)
Alternate STAAR tests are available for students receiving special education services (STAAR Alternate 2). STAAR Spanish is available for grades 3-5 for eligible Spanish-speaking students. Previously, STAAR included a writing test for grades 4 and 7, but as of this school year (2021-2022) it is no longer administered.
For high school students, STAAR tests are composed of end-of-course (EOC) assessments for:
- English I
- English II
- Algebra I
- Biology
- U.S. History
When students take the STAAR EOC tests depends on when they take the corresponding courses, but they must pass all five aforementioned exams in order to graduate. Districts can also administer the STAAR Algebra II and English III EOC exams, but these tests are not required.
All tests are administered in both paper and online formats. Students have a four-hour time limit in which to complete each individual assessment, with the exception of the EOC English exams which are each limited to five hours. Most students will complete the assessments well within the time limit.
All STAAR tests are administered in the spring, with additional testing availability in:
- Summer (June): Retests for grades 5 and 8 math, reading, and EOC exams
- Late fall (December): EOC exams
How to Use the STAAR Released Tests to Prep Your Students
To help educators and students prepare for the STAAR test, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) releases two types of practice materials: sample questions and test forms, or STAAR released tests.
The sample test questions are groups of questions that may or may not have been previously administered in real STAAR tests, but serve as examples of the types of questions that are in the STAAR tests.
The test forms, also known as the STAAR released tests, are real STAAR tests that have been administered before and can now be used as practice tests. Educators can access STAAR practice tests for the standard STAAR tests, as well as for STAAR Alternate 2 and STAAR Spanish exams.
STAAR practice tests enable teachers to gain an understanding of what students already know, as well as where they need more support and instruction. They also help students become familiar with the types of questions they’ll see on the real test, while providing opportunities to practice working through the steps to answer those questions.
Online tests like STAAR include technology-enhanced questions that require special digital skills. Students may need to use drag-and-drop tools or create equations and numerical answers with a keypad entry box.
Practicing online with a STAAR Released Test can help students develop and master the keyboard commands and skills they need to navigate the real test. Practicing also enables them to get comfortable with the same device they’ll use to take the STAAR exam, so when test day comes, they’ll know exactly what to do.
Prepare your students for STAAR with these practice tests, and they’ll be well on their way to STAARdom.
The STAAR Released Test Is Available for Practice in Edulastic
To make the STAAR released tests as easy to access (and practice with) as possible, Edulastic has already uploaded STAAR’s most recent releases to the Edulastic Public Library. With a free account, you can provide students with the ideal virtual environment to practice with the STAAR released tests and prepare for test time.
Once you’ve set things up, your students can get practice that mimics the look and feel of what they’ll experience on the STAAR test. Not only will they sharpen their virtual test-taking skills, but they’ll also get an extra boost of confidence as they prep for their STAAR assessments.
STAAR Practice tests
2019 Grade 3 Mathematics
32 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 3 Reading
34 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 3 Mathematics (Spanish)
32 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 3 Reading (Spanish)
34 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 4 Mathematics
34 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 4 Reading
36 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 4 Writing
25 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 4 Mathematics (Spanish)
34 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 4 Reading (Spanish)
36 questions
|
STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 4 Writing (Spanish)
25 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 5 Mathematics
36 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 5 Reading
38 questions
|
STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 5 Science
36 questions
|
STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 5 Mathematics (Spanish)
36 questions
|
STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 5 Reading (Spanish)
38 questions
|
STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 5 Science (Spanish)
36 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 6 Mathematics
38 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 6 Reading
40 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 7 Mathematics
40 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 7 Reading
42 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 7 Writing
31 questions
|
STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 8 Mathematics
42 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 8 Reading
44 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 8 Science
42 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 Grade 8 Social Studies
44 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 HS Algebra I
54 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 HS English I
53 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 HS English II
53 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 HS Biology
50 questions
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STAAR
Assign
2019 HS U.S. History
68 questions
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STAAR
Assign
