STAAR stands for State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, which is the state’s testing program. The assessments are based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, which are the state curriculum standards. Beginning in grade 3 through high school graduation, all public school students in Texas will be tested in the core subjects areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies.

STAAR is an online assessment in mathematics, reading language arts (RLA), science, and social studies for students in grades 3–8 and high school and online tests in Spanish for students in grades 3–5. 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. 

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.

Learn more about the STAAR testing program by using the links below.

STAAR TESTING PROGRAM                 PRACTICE SITE

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) developed the STAAR Alternate 2 to fulfill the requirements of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Every Student Succeeds Act.  STAAR Alternate 2 is designed for the purpose of assessing Special Education students in grades 3–8 and high school who have significant cognitive disabilities and are receiving special education services.  It is based on alternate academic achievement standards.  A student's admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee must determine if the student meets the participation requirements for STAAR Alternate 2. 

STAAR Alternate 2 is a paper assessment in mathematics, reading language arts (RLA), science, and social studies for students in grades 3–8 and high school. 

STAAR Alternate 2 Resources

The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) is an English language proficiency assessment aligned to the Texas English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). This assessment is designed to assess the progress that emergent bilingual (EB) students make in learning the English language.  

All EB students in kindergarten through grade 12 enrolled in Texas public schools or open-enrollment charter schools are required to participate in TELPAS. EB students are required to be assessed annually with an English language proficiency assessment until they meet EB reclassification criteria. The TELPAS assesses four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Grades K–1 include:

• holistically rated observational assessments of listening, speaking, reading and writing

Grades 2–12 include online tests for:

• listening and speaking
• reading and writing

Learn more about the TELPAS testing program by using the links below.

TELPAS RESOURCES         PRACTICE SITE       

The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) Alternate is a holistic inventory aligned to the Texas English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPs); however, TELPAS Alternate is based on alternate proficiency level descriptors. This assessment is designed to address the specific access needs of emergent bilingual (EB) students in grades 2–12 with the most significant cognitive disabilities.  An EB student's admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee, in conjunction with the language proficiency assessment committee (LPAC), must determine if the student meets the participation requirements for TELPAS Alternate.

TELPAS Alternate holistically assesses EB students in grades 2–12 in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

TELPAS ALTERNATE RESOURCES