STAAR Interim Assessments

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Overview of STAAR Interim Assessments

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has created optional online interim assessments that align to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Test questions for the STAAR Interim Assessments are developed with Texas teachers and include some former STAAR items. These assessments will be available at no cost to districts and open-enrollment charter schools, and they are not tied to accountability.

What's New?

STAAR Interim Assessments will continue for the 2021–2022 school year and will be hosted on Cambium's assessment platform.

Key Dates and Details for 2021–2022

NOTE: TEA recommends November for Window 1 tests and February for Window 3 tests for the most accurate prediction of STAAR performance.

TEA will offer only one testing opportunity for science and social studies and recommends that these assessments be administered after most TEKS have been covered in the classroom. Unlike TEKS for mathematics and reading, which tend to include similar skills that build in complexity, science and social studies TEKS most often contain discrete skills, facts, and concepts.

Accommodations

Data Reported

• Results from the STAAR interim assessments will be reported in Cambium's centralized reporting system (CRS). CRS will contain district-level, campus-level, and student-level reports. Reports at the student level will include the following data:
  • the student’s response to each test question,
  • the TEKS student expectation for each test question,
  • a pop-up window that shows the test question
  • item-level reporting information, and
  • Reporting Category targets.
• Reports will continue to include data files and percentages representing the statistical probability of achieving “Approaches,” “Meets,” and “Masters” grade level expectations on STAAR.

Resources

• STAAR 2020-2021 Interim Assessments Summary Report (PDF posted 8/30/21)

• STAAR 2019–20 Interim Assessments Summary Report (PDF posted 3/2/21)

• STAAR 2018–19 Interim Assessment Technical Report (PDF posted 9/25/20)

• STAAR Interim Assessments Educator Guide with FAQs (PDF posted 8/24/21)

• Data File Layout (PDF posted 7/28/21)

Courtesy At Home Testing Parent and Student Letter for District Use

TEA has created this resource as a courtesy. Districts may use this document to share with students or parents of students who are completing the STAAR Interim Assessments at home. The file includes both an English and a Spanish version of the letter.

Courtesy At Home Testing Parent and Student Letter (English and Spanish PDF posted 8/24/21)

STAAR Interim Assessments Blueprints

• Grades 3-8 Mathematics, Grades 3-8 R/LA, Grades 5 and 8 Science, Grade 8 Social Studies, English I and English II, Algebra I, Biology, U.S. History

Support Videos

• STAAR Interim Assessments Overview: This video is intended for all curious audiences! Educators, parents, and administrators can learn the purpose and design of the STAAR Interim Assessments.

Training Materials

Please see dates and details related to training below.

• July 14, 2021 - Learning Management System (LMS) Live
• August 20, 2021 - STAAR Interim Assessments overview training video on LMS
• September 10, 2021 - Centralized Reporting System (CRS) Live Webinar (Register on LMS)
• September 17, 2021 - Educator Training Modules on LMS