STAAR Tests

With the redesign, the maximum number of multiple-choice questions on a test is 75%. This means the other 25% of the test is composed of several new question types. These new item types may include open-ended questions, inline answer choices, drag and drop questions, multi-select or multi-part questions, and graphing questions. Some questions now ask for multiple answers. Instead of selecting A, B, C, or D, students could be asked to choose the two or three best answers. There could also be multiple parts to a question. For example, the answer in part A of a question determines the information in part B. Additionally, on some questions, students are able to earn partial credit for a response. These new question types create a different testing experience than students previously encountered.

Writing has been incorporated into the reading test in all grade levels. This is significant as third graders were previously assessed only on multiple choice questions. The redesign also created an increase in the number of cross-curricular informational passages that use content aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for other subject areas (e.g., social studies, science, mathematics, etc.). When taking the reading language arts assessment, students may be asked to read a passage related to science content for that grade level. While the questions include topics from other subject areas, the questions only assess a student's reading and language arts performance; students will not be scored on their understanding of the other subject areas.

Beginning with the 2023 assessments, Reading-Language Arts (RLA) assessments include both reading and writing (grades 3–8 English, grades 3–5 Spanish, and English I and II End-of-Course) and include new question types and an extended constructed response, or essay, at every grade level.