Finding the right study materials for the Texas state exams can feel like a scavenger hunt where the map is written in code. If you've been searching for TEA Texas released STAAR tests, you probably noticed that things look a lot different than they did a few years ago. The days of simply printing out a giant PDF packet and circling answers with a No. 2 pencil are basically over.
Since the 2022–2023 school year, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has shifted the goalposts. Because the actual State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) is now almost entirely online, the way the state "releases" old questions has changed too. You aren't just looking for a document anymore; you're looking for a digital experience.
The Big Shift: Why You Can’t Find PDFs Anymore
Honestly, it’s a bit frustrating for parents who just want to print something out for their kid to do at the kitchen table. But there is a reason for it. TEA moved to a "redesign" that limits multiple-choice questions to no more than 75% of the total points. The rest? Those are "technology-enhanced items."
✨ Don't miss: How Did Sambhaji Maharaj Die? The Brutal Reality of the Maratha King's Final Days
Think drag-and-drop, graphing, and multi-part text evidence questions. You can't really do those on a flat piece of paper. Because of this, the official TEA Texas released STAAR tests for recent years (like 2024 and the upcoming 2025 sets) are hosted primarily on the Texas Assessment Practice Test Site.
If you go looking for a 2024 Grade 5 Math PDF, you’ll mostly find "Item Rationales" or "Answer Keys" in document form, but the actual test lives inside the testing software. It’s meant to mimic exactly what the student sees on game day.
Where the Real Practice Is Hiding
To get your hands on the actual questions, you have to go to the source. The TEA website maintains a dedicated page for "STAAR Released Test Questions."
Here is the breakdown of what you'll find there:
- Online Practice Tests: This is the gold mine. You login as a "Guest," select a grade level, and you can take a full-length released test from a previous year.
- Paper/PDF Archives: You can still find PDFs for older tests (2021 and earlier). Just keep in mind these don't reflect the new "Redesign" format. They are good for content, but bad for "feeling" like the modern test.
- Item Rationales: These are actually super helpful. TEA releases documents that explain why an answer was right and why the other options were wrong. It's like getting a peek into the brain of the person who wrote the test.
Scoring Has Changed Too
It’s not just about getting 70% right anymore. Texas uses a "vertical scale" for Reading and Math in grades 3–8. This basically tracks a student’s growth from one year to the next on a single continuous scale.
If you are using a TEA Texas released STAAR test to grade your child at home, don't just count the raw score. You have to look up the "Raw Score Conversion Table" for that specific year and subject. A "30 out of 40" might be "Meets Grade Level" one year and "Masters Grade Level" the next, depending on how the difficulty was calibrated.
What about the 2025–2026 School Year?
Things are staying pretty consistent for now, but there are a few tweaks coming down the pike. For one, districts are being told to focus more on "Test Anxiety Mitigation." The onscreen directions for the 2025–2026 tests have been updated to be a bit more student-friendly.
Also, the "Monday Testing" rule has changed. Used to be, schools couldn't start testing on the first Monday of the window without a special note. Now, that's gone. If your kid’s school wants to get it over with on a Monday, they can.
Why People Get This Wrong
Most people think that "released tests" are the same thing as "practice tests." They aren't.
A released test is a literal copy of the exam students took in a previous year. A practice test is often just a collection of sample items that might be easier or harder than the real thing. Always prioritize the released versions because they have been "field-tested." This means the state spent a lot of money making sure those specific questions weren't biased or unfairly confusing before they ever counted for a grade.
Actionable Steps to Use These Resources
If you want to actually see results from using these materials, don't just "take the test."
- Use the Guest Portal: Don't just look at the PDFs. Have the student log into the Practice Test Site so they get used to the "Strikethrough" and "Highlighter" tools. These are built into the interface and can save a kid’s life during the Reading Language Arts (RLA) section.
- Focus on the Rationale: When they miss a question, don't just say "the answer was B." Go to the TEA website, download the Item Rationales for that specific test, and read the explanation for why "C" was a "distractor."
- Check the Rubrics: For the writing portions (which are now part of every RLA test), TEA releases "Scoring Guides." These show real student essays that got a 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. It’s the best way to see what the graders are actually looking for.
- Simulate the Clock: The 2025–2026 guidelines still suggest a maximum of four hours for most tests (five for English I and II EOCs). If you’re using a released test at home, set a timer. The pressure is part of the test.
Finding TEA Texas released STAAR tests is the first step, but using them the way the state intends—digitally and with an eye on the rationales—is how you actually move the needle on those scores.
Start by visiting the Texas Assessment Practice Site and choosing the "Released Test" option for the specific grade level you need. Focus on the most recent year available to ensure the student is practicing with the "technology-enhanced" items they will see in the spring.