STAAR Practice Test 2026
STAAR practice test 2026: State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness format, grade-level content, passing scores, test dates, and how to prepare for the STAAR test.
What Is the STAAR Test?
The STAAR test is Texas's primary student academic assessment program, administered annually to measure whether students are mastering grade-level content in Reading Language Arts (RLA), Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. All Texas public school students in grades 3–8 take the STAAR test each spring. High school students take End-of-Course (EOC) assessments in Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History.
Key facts about STAAR 2026:
- Who takes it: Texas public school students in grades 3–8 and all EOC subjects in high school
- When: Spring administration (April–May), with a summer retest opportunity in June–July for students who did not pass
- Format: Online, computer-adaptive for some grades; mix of multiple choice, short answer, and technology-enhanced items
- Stakes: Students must pass EOC exams to meet graduation requirements. Grade promotion decisions for grades 5 and 8 involve STAAR performance.
2026 redesign — what changed: TEA redesigned the STAAR in 2026, reducing the percentage of multiple-choice questions and adding open-ended "constructed response" questions. The redesigned test also introduced multi-select items, drag-and-drop ordering, and inline-choice questions. Paper-based STAAR tests were eliminated for most students — the test is now delivered online.
Use our STAAR practice test to familiarize yourself with current question types before test day.
STAAR Test 2026 at a Glance
- Delivery: Online (computer-based, adaptive)
- Question types: Multiple choice, constructed response, technology-enhanced
- Duration: 4 hours (untimed for eligible students with IEP/504)
- Grades 3–8: Reading Language Arts and Mathematics
- Grades 5 & 8: Science added
- High school EOC: Algebra I, English I & II, Biology, US History
- Approaches Grade Level: Minimum passing threshold
- Meets Grade Level: On-track for next grade
- Masters Grade Level: Advanced proficiency
- Grades 5 & 8: Grade retention tied to STAAR performance
- High school EOC: Must pass all 5 EOC exams to graduate
- Retake: Summer retest offered for students who did not pass
STAAR Tests by Grade and Subject
Each grade tests different subjects and TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) standards. Understanding what is tested at each grade level helps focus STAAR practice test preparation on the right content.
Grades 3–4 (Reading Language Arts and Math only):
- Grade 3 Reading: Literary and informational text comprehension, author's purpose, theme, vocabulary in context
- Grade 3 Math: Place value, addition/subtraction to 1,000, multiplication/division foundations, fractions, area/perimeter
- Grade 4: Same subjects as Grade 3 with increased complexity — multi-step problems, paragraph writing, extended reading passages
Grades 5–6 (adds Science for Grade 5):
- Grade 5 Science: Life science (organisms, ecosystems), physical science (matter, energy), earth science (weather, solar system). Students must pass to be considered for promotion.
- Grade 5 Math: Fractions, decimals, volume, coordinate plane, algebraic thinking
- Grade 6: RLA and Math only — ratios, proportionality, integers, expressions, informational/argumentative writing
Grades 7–8 (Grade 8 adds Science and Social Studies):
- Grade 7: Proportionality, equations, geometry; literary analysis, persuasive writing techniques
- Grade 8 Math: Linear equations, functions, transformations, Pythagorean theorem
- Grade 8 Science: Forces and motion, matter, Earth and space, organisms
High School EOC Assessments: Students must pass Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History EOC exams. These exams count 15% of the final course grade. EOC passing is a graduation requirement under Texas law.
Practice for your specific grade with our STAAR practice test 2026 — organized by grade and subject area.
STAAR Passing Score Levels — What They Mean
STAAR scores are reported on a scaled score (roughly 1,000–5,000 range depending on grade) and categorized into three performance levels. Understanding these levels clarifies what score you need and what each means for advancement.
Did Not Meet Grade Level: The student did not demonstrate sufficient mastery of the grade-level TEKS tested. For Grades 5 and 8 in Reading and Math, this triggers the grade retention review process. Students in all grades may be required to attend summer school or receive additional intervention.
Approaches Grade Level: The minimum passing threshold. Students who score at this level have demonstrated basic proficiency in tested content. For EOC exams, Approaches satisfies the passing requirement for graduation. For grades 5 and 8, Approaches prevents mandatory retention.
Meets Grade Level: The standard for being on-track. Students who consistently score at Meets are considered adequately prepared for the next grade. Used in school accountability ratings.
Masters Grade Level: The highest performance level, indicating advanced mastery. Used heavily in school and district accountability ratings (A–F grades from TEA). Students who master content are well-prepared for advanced coursework.
Cutting scores (the actual number required for each level) are set by TEA each year and vary by grade and subject. Check the TEA website for the current year's performance standards.