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State Assessments

STAAR and STAAR Alternate 2

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) assessment program is designed to measure the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum standards.  STAAR was implemented in spring 2012 and includes annual assessments for:

  • Reading Language Arts, grades 3–8
  • Math, grades 3-8
  • Science, grades 5 and 8
  • Social Studies, grade 8
  • End-of-Course (EOC) assessments for English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology and U.S History.

TELPAS and TELPAS Alternate

TEA designed the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) and TELPAS Alternate to assess the progress that Emergent Bilingual (EB) students, also referred to as English learners (ELs), make in learning the English language.  Students are assessed in four domains:

  • Reading
  • Listening
  • Speaking
  • Writing

Students receiving Special Education Services

The Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee makes educational decisions for a student with a disability, including decisions related to state assessments and decisions related to graduation requirements as described in Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §89.1070.

  • Students will take STAAR with or without allowable accommodations.
  • Review the participation requirements for STAAR Alternate 2 for students with significant cognitive disabilities who access the grade-level Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum through prerequisite skills.
  • Review the participation requirements for TELPAS Alternate for Emergent Bilingual learners (EBs) with significant cognitive disabilities.

The Texas Education Agency provides districts with a testing calendar each year.  All testing calendars can be found here TEA Testing Calendar

For specific information, visit the Texas Education Agency website.

Other Information