You may be familiar with the STAAR test. But what is it, and why is it important? STAAR is short for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. The test is important because it shows what your student has learned and is a part of their school’s rating. It’s just one way to measure student learning. During the 2022-23 school year, some big changes happened with how the STAAR is organized. In this article, let’s look at how the test is organized when it happens and what parents and guardians can do to help their child be ready for the STAAR.
What is STAAR?
The STAAR is a big test. It measures how well students have learned a subject during the school year. STAAR gives teachers and parents valuable information to help their students do better in school.
Here are several reasons why the STAAR test is important:
- It checks to see if students understand their lessons.
- It helps teachers see if the way they teach their students is working.
- It finds students who might need extra help.
- It helps teachers plan future lessons to support their students.
All students in Texas need to take the STAAR. Your child’s participation matters. Their score shows how well the school is doing to help students learn.
Other things to keep in mind about STAAR:
- STAAR doesn’t decide if a student moves to the next grade.
- Examples of questions and answers are available before the STAAR so students can see them.
- The new question types let students show what they know in a better way.
- The STAAR test is taken online.
The STAAR Testing Calendar
The STAAR tests one subject at a time over two weeks for each grade level. Testing usually begins in April. Reading Language Arts (RLA) is tested for the first two weeks, followed by Science, Social Studies, and Math.
Parents can go to their school’s website or ask their child’s teacher when their child will participate in STAAR testing.
4 Ways You Can Help
As a parent or guardian, there are things you can do to help your child prepare for STAAR testing.
Here are four ways you can make a difference in your student’s STAAR experience:
- Have regular meetings with your child’s teacher to discuss how they are doing in all their subjects.
- Practice at home using online tools.
- Review sample STAAR questions and answers so your child knows what to expect.
- Look at your child’s STAAR Report Card at TexasAssessment.gov and log in with your student’s Unique Student Access Code.
More Information
For more information about STAAR, visit the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) Texas Assessment website. This website provides important resources for parents about the STAAR testing calendar, test formats, how to understand performance and much more.
Final Thoughts
It’s important for parents and guardians of students taking the STAAR exam to understand how the current test is organized. Encourage your child to take the exam seriously. Families can help their children do well on the STAAR test by working together with teachers.
If you still have questions, contact a team member or visit our website.
Holly Zeiner is the Content Marketing Specialist at ESC Region 13.
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