The STAR (Standardized Testing and Reporting) program was California’s primary K–12 standards-based assessment system, measuring student proficiency in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and History–Social Science across grades 2–11. While the state transitioned to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) in 2014, STAR scores remain widely referenced for school performance analysis, longitudinal data research, and California educator licensure exam preparation.
This guide covers everything about the STAR assessment: the California Content Standards it measured, score ranges and performance levels, grade-by-grade subject coverage, how scores were reported, and how to use STAR practice tests to prepare for standards-aligned California state exams today.
The STAR (Standardized Testing and Reporting) test was California’s statewide K–12 standards-based assessment program, administered annually from 1998 to 2013. It measured student proficiency in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and History–Social Science using the California Standards Test (CST) and the California Achievement Test (CAT/6) for lower grades. The California Department of Education used STAR results to calculate school Academic Performance Index (API) scores and report Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under federal No Child Left Behind requirements.
The STAR test uses a five-level performance scale rather than a pass/fail cutoff. The key benchmark is Proficient, which corresponds to a scaled score of 400–499 on any given subtest. A score of 350–399 (Basic) indicates partial proficiency, while 400 and above is considered meeting the California Content Standard. Scores of 500–600 indicate Advanced performance, which exceeded grade-level expectations.
The STAR program covered four subject areas: English Language Arts (grades 2–11), Mathematics (grades 2–11), Science (grades 5, 8, 10), and History–Social Science (grades 8, 10, 11). High school mathematics was assessed through course-specific tests including Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II rather than a single grade-level math test.
No. California discontinued the STAR program after the 2012–2013 school year. Beginning in 2014–2015, the state adopted the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards. STAR test score archives remain available through the California Department of Education for researchers and educators who need longitudinal performance data from the 1998–2013 testing period.
STAR test length varied by grade and subject. The California Standards Test (CST) typically contained 65 multiple-choice items for most subjects, which students completed in one to two class periods (roughly 60–90 minutes). The California Achievement Test (CAT/6) used in grades 2–3 was untimed, administered across multiple sessions, and covered reading, language arts, mathematics, spelling, and science. The STAR writing tests in grades 4, 7, and 10 were administered in a separate 45-minute session.
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) assessments replaced the STAR program for ELA and Mathematics in grades 3–11 starting 2014. For science, California adopted the California Science Test (CAST), aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), beginning in 2018. History–Social Science standardized testing did not receive a direct replacement at the state level following STAR’s discontinuation.
You can access STAR practice questions from two main sources: (1) the California Department of Education STAR Released Test Questions archive, which contains actual past items organized by grade and subject; and (2) PracticeTestGeeks.com, which offers free STAR practice tests modeled after the CST format for reading, mathematics, early literacy, and English language proficiency. Using released items is the most direct preparation method because they reflect the exact item format, difficulty distribution, and content standards weighting used on official STAR assessments.