Overview
The STAAR is a mandated testing program put in place by the Texas Education Agency and administered throughout the state.
On June 10, 2013, House Bill 5 was signed by Gov. Rick Perry, resulting in students needing to pass five end-of-course exams instead of 15 to meet graduation requirements. Below are answers to a few common questions about the legislation.
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Exam sampler question types:
- English I/II: RLA STAAR Sampler
- Biology: Science STAAR Sampler
- Algebra I: Math STAAR Sampler
- United States History: Social Studies STAAR Sampler
Questions and Answers
Which end-of-course (EOC) tests are required for graduation due to HB 5?
English I*, English II*, Algebra I, U.S. History and Biology
*reading and writing combined
If a student does not pass an EOC that is still required for graduation under HB 5, does the student still have to go to summer school and re-take the exam?
Districts are required to provide summer EOC camps for any student who fails to achieve satisfactory performance on these exams, and students are encouraged to participate at each retesting opportunity.
If a student has passed English I or English II reading, but not English I or English II writing (or vice versa), does the student have to retake the part that he or she has not passed?
Yes. High school students who have already passed English I or English II reading but not English I or English II writing (or vice versa) will still need to successfully complete the second test to meet graduation requirements. The English I and English II tests will continue to have separate reading and writing tests for the test administration in July and December. Beginning in spring 2014, English I and English II assessments that combine reading and writing will be available.
Will EOC exam results be included in students’ grades?
No. HB 5 has eliminated that requirement.