Honestly, if you're a parent or a teacher in Texas, the four-letter word "STAAR" probably makes your heart rate spike just a little bit. It's that time of year again. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has officially pushed out the latest round of materials, and everyone is scrambling to see what’s actually on them.
The TEA STAAR test released sets are finally live.
If you’ve been out of the loop, these released tests are basically the "holy grail" for prep. They aren't just random practice questions; they are the actual exams that kids sat through in previous seasons. They show the wording, the trap answers, and the new "interactive" item types that have replaced the old-school bubble sheets.
But there’s a lot more going on in 2026 than just some new PDFs. The whole landscape is shifting.
The Science Shake-up You Need to Know About
For a long time, the Science STAAR felt like the "stable" one. That’s over. Starting this spring 2026, the TEA is fully implementing the new Science TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills).
What does that actually mean for a 5th or 8th grader?
Well, the blueprints have been shortened. You heard that right. Shorter tests. But don’t celebrate just yet. Because the blueprints are shorter, the TEA is no longer providing "strand-level" data on student report cards. You'll see the overall score, but you won't get that granular breakdown of exactly which scientific concept your kid missed.
It’s a trade-off.
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Also, the names have changed. We don't call it "Grade 5 Science" anymore. It’s now the Elementary School STAAR Science assessment. Grade 8 is now the Middle School STAAR Science assessment. It sounds more formal, but the content is where the real challenge lies. The TEA released several new "item rationales" recently to help explain why certain answers are right under these new standards. If you haven't looked at those yet, you're flying blind.
Monday Testing and the "Anxiety" Update
Here is something weird that happened in the most recent legislative sessions. For years, schools couldn't give a STAAR test on the first Monday of a testing window. It was like a state-mandated "chill day" to get everyone settled.
House Bill 8 (HB 8) killed that.
Starting now, districts can test on Mondays if they want to. Most schools might still avoid it to give kids a "soft start" to the week, but the legal barrier is gone.
On the flip side, the TEA is actually acknowledging that these tests freak kids out. The 2025–2026 STAAR Test Administrator Manual now includes specific "anxiety mitigation" language. Test proctors have new scripts to read that are supposed to sound less like a prison warden and more like a supportive coach. Even the onscreen directions students read on their computers have been softened.
It's a small change. Does it actually stop the stomach aches in the cafeteria? Probably not. But it’s a sign that the state is feeling the pressure from parents who think the testing culture has gone too far.
How to Find the TEA STAAR Test Released Materials
Don't go Googling and clicking on random "free prep" sites that look like they were built in 1998. Most of those are just trying to sell you a workbook you don't need.
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The real stuff is at the Texas Assessment website.
- Head to the official STAAR Released Test Questions page on the TEA site.
- You’ll see tabs for different years. The 2024 and 2025 sets are the most vital because they use the "Redesign" format.
- Look for "Item Rationales." This is the secret weapon. It doesn't just give you the answer key; it explains why the wrong answers were included. It might say, "A student might choose B if they forgot to carry the one." That is gold for helping a kid who is struggling.
The online practice site is even better. Since the test is 100% online now (with very few exceptions), kids need to know how to use the "strikethrough" tool and the "online notepad." The TEA actually updated the strikethrough tool recently so you can still see the text you crossed out—it’s just dimmer now. It sounds like a tiny tweak, but if you’ve ever accidentally crossed out the right answer and couldn't read it anymore, you know it’s a big deal.
The English II "Death Row"
If you have a high schooler, pay attention. House Bill 8 is eventually replacing the STAAR with something called the Student Success Tool (SST).
But that doesn't happen until the 2027–2028 school year.
However, there is a big casualty in the works: the English II EOC. The state is actually getting rid of the English II exam as a graduation requirement. But—and this is a massive "but"—this only applies to students who start high school after the current crop.
If your child is in the graduating class of 2026 or 2027, they still have to pass English II. Do not let them slack off thinking the requirement is gone. They are the "bridge" group. They still have to deal with the old rules while the new ones are being built around them.
The Reality of 2026 Scoring
We’re seeing a shift in how results are delivered. The "Family Portal" is now the primary way to get info. You don't wait for a paper report to come home in a backpack.
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The TEA is pushing for "Single Sign-On" (SSO). Basically, you should be able to log into your school district’s portal (like Skyward or PowerSchool) and click one link that takes you straight to your child's STAAR scores without needing that annoying 6-digit alphanumeric "Access Code."
If your district hasn't set this up yet, bug them. It makes life so much easier.
Actionable Steps for the 2026 Season
Stop over-prepping. Seriously.
The TEA STAAR test released data shows that kids who do "marathon" prep sessions usually burn out by the time the actual two-week window hits in April.
Instead, try this:
- Interpret the Data, Don't Just Solve: Science and Social Studies tests are basically Reading tests in disguise now. They are full of charts, maps, and graphs. Practice reading a graph for 5 minutes a day.
- The "Why" over the "What": When your kid gets a math problem wrong on a released test, don't just show them how to do it. Ask them why they think the "trap" answer was there.
- Check the Calendar: The April 6–17 window is for Reading/Language Arts. The April 20–May 1 window is for Math. Don’t schedule dentist appointments or big trips during those windows.
- Use the Practice Site: Go to the official Texas practice site at least once a week. Let the kid play with the "Zoom" and "Color Overlay" settings. If they find a setting that makes the screen easier to read, they can actually request that as an "accessibility feature" on the real test.
The STAAR is a beast, but it’s a predictable one. The more you use the actual TEA STAAR test released documents, the less "scary" the actual day becomes. It turns the test from a mystery into a puzzle. And puzzles are much easier to solve.
Next Steps:
Go to the Texas Education Agency website and download the "Item Rationales" for the 2025 Math and RLA tests. Compare your student's practice answers to these rationales to identify specific "trap" patterns in their thinking before the April testing window begins.