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  3. State Assessments

State Assessments

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) oversees several testing programs, including federally-mandated assessments and state-mandated assessments.  Testing dates are subject to change by either the District or the Texas Education Agency.

  • The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) includes the following assessment programs: STAAR, STAAR Spanish,  and STAAR Alternate 2.
  • STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) assessments include English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. History. Students are required to meet standards on all the EOC assessments; English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. History, to meet testing graduation requirements.
  • The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) assesses the progress that Limited English Proficient (LEP) students make in acquiring the English language. The assessment consists of four domains: listening, speaking, writing, and reading.

To learn more about State Assessments, click on the tabs below. 

If you have questions about the state or district testing programs, please contact your child's campus or call the Research, Assessment, & Accountability Department at 832-223-0136.

When We Assess

Click on the buttons below to find out when the testing windows are in Lamar CISD. Please note: campuses are not testing every day during the window listed on the calendar. 

pdfElementary Testing Calendar
pdfHigh School Testing Calendar
pdfMiddle School + Junior High Testing Calendar

State Assessments in LCISD

  • The STAAR logo, featuring a blue star and the acronym 'STAAR' in red and blue letters, with the text 'State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness' below.

    Purpose: 

    The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) is a standardized academic achievement test designed to measure the extent to which a student has learned and is able to apply the defined knowledge and skills in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) at each tested grade, subject, and course. Every STAAR question is directly aligned to the TEKS currently in effect for the grade and subject or course being assessed.

    STAAR helps to ensure that Texas students are competitive with other students both nationally and internationally. Another important function of STAAR is gauging how well schools and teachers prepare their students academically. In addition, STAAR fulfills the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires that all students be assessed in specific grades and subjects throughout their academic careers.

    Audience and What We Assess:

    STAAR is an online assessment in mathematics, reading language arts (RLA), science, and social studies for students in grades 3–8 and high school (end-of-course/EOC) and online tests in Spanish for students in grades 3–5.


    When We Assess:

    December for EOC Retest; Spring for all other grade levels, subjects, and courses

     

    Click here to learn more about STAAR

  • The STAAR Alternate 2 logo features a red star and the text "STAAR Alternate 2 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness"

    Purpose: 

    The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) Alternate 2 is an alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards. It is a standardized item-based assessment administered individually to eligible students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are receiving special education services. STAAR Alternate 2 fulfills the requirements of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Every Student Succeeds Act.  

    Audience and What We Assess:

    STAAR Alternate 2 is a paper assessment in mathematics, reading language arts (RLA), science, and social studies for students in grades 3–8 and high school. A student's admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee must determine if the student meets the participation requirements for STAAR Alternate 2. All students enrolled in Texas public schools and open-enrollment charter schools in grades 3–12 who meet the participation requirements are required to participate in STAAR Alternate 2 at their enrolled grade level or course.


    When We Assess:

    December for EOC Retest; Spring for all other grade levels, subjects, and courses

    Click here to learn more about STAAR Alternate 2

  • The TELPAS logo features a purple star and the word 'TELPAS' in a box.

    Purpose: 

    The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) is an English language proficiency assessment aligned to the Texas English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). This assessment is designed to assess the progress that emergent bilingual (EB) students make in learning the English language. TELPAS fulfills Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requirements for assessing EB students in kindergarten through grade 12 in four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

     

    Audience and What We Assess:

    Grades K–1 include:

    • holistically rated observational assessments of listening, speaking, reading and writing

    Grades 2–12 include online tests for:

    • listening and speaking
    • reading and writing


    When We Assess:

    Spring

    Click here to learn more about TELPAS

  • The TELPAS Alternate logo features an orange star and the words 'TELPAS' and 'Alternate'.

    Purpose: 

    The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) Alternate is a holistic inventory aligned to the Texas English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPs); however, TELPAS Alternate is based on alternate proficiency level descriptors. This assessment is designed to address the specific access needs of emergent bilingual (EB) students in grades 2–12 with the most significant cognitive disabilities. TELPAS Alternate fulfills the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act for assessing the English language proficiency of EB students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

     

    Audience and What We Assess:

    TELPAS Alternate holistically assesses EB students in grades 2–12 in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

    An EB student's admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee, in conjunction with the language proficiency assessment committee (LPAC), must determine if the student meets the participation requirements for TELPAS Alternate. All EB students enrolled in Texas public schools and open-enrollment charter schools in grades 2–12 who meet the participation requirements are required to participate in TELPAS Alternate. EB students are required to be assessed annually with an English language proficiency assessment until they meet EB reclassification criteria.


    When We Assess:

    Spring

    Click here to learn more about TELPAS Alternate