Texas STAAR Redesign: How to get ready for the new STAAR item types On The 2022-2023 Test

As you prepare for the 2023 Texas STAAR, you will need to pay close attention to how the redesign affects your students. We’re here to get you and your students ready for the upcoming test. TeacherMade makes it easy to prep for standardized tests. Read on to see how we fit into your class’s review.

TX STAAR 2023 Redesign Basics

The Texas STAAR redesign was implemented by HB 3906 in 2019. You will see the redesign affect your 2022-2023 school year. Here are the main components to be aware of:

- New online question formats
- Online Testing and Accommodations
- Cross-curricular reading passages
- Evidence-based writing assessment

Let’s break down what each new component means and how you can use TeacherMade as you test prep.

New STAAR Item Types and Question Types Available In TeacherMade

There are a variety of new questions and new STAAR items types your students will encounter on the new STAAR redesign. The official legislation states that no more than 75% of the test can be multiple choice moving forward. This means that 25% will certainly consist of the new question types. But the state has said that they intend for OVER 25% to be new question types so getting your students ready should be a top priority.

Did you know? TeacherMade includes all the new STAAR question types. With TeacherMade, you can give your students firsthand experience with the new STAAR item types THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. With TeacherMade’s powerful technology, you can incorporate STAAR-like questions on digital worksheets, homework assignments and other classwork every day. Download a list of the new STAAR items types.

New STAAR Online Item Types	TeacherMade Equivalent
Equation Editor: Students will be able to give information in a variety of forms using built-in equation editors on the STAAR test.	· Equation Editor
Text Entry: Students can respond to open-ended questions with text entry.	· Short Answer
Graphs: Students will create lines, graphs, bar graphs, and other related functions.	· Coordinate
Number Lines: Students will give answers on a number line.	· Coming by 3/1/2023
Inline Choice: Students use a drop-down menu to select an answer instead of a multiple-choice question.	· Dropdown
Hot Spot: Answers are chosen by hovering over a specific point of reading or graphic.	· Hot Spot
Hot Text: Students will need to highlight relevant details in the text to support questions.	· Hot Text
Fraction Model: Students will visually model a fraction by dividing an object into numerator and denominator.	· Fraction
Drag and Drop: Students will move words or objects around to answer various questions.	· Drag and Drop
Multipart: Questions will have multiple parts. This may often involve an answer (part A) and justification (part B).	· Can be simulated using Hot Spot or Hot Text.
Match Table Grid: Students classify objects or words onto tables.	· Match Table Grid
Multiselect: Students can now identify multiple correct answers.	· MultiSelect
Short Constructed Response	· Short Answer
Long Constructed Response	· Open Answer

Move to online test for better accommodations

One of the most significant shifts for the STAAR Redesign is moving the test entirely online. This will allow for students who need accommodations to have better resources. Here are some ways online standardized tests accommodate diverse learners:

- Read-out-loud texts, questions, and directions
- Calculators
- Differentiated timelines
- Differentiated and shortened sections
- And more!

Resources for online testing and accommodations

As you face the challenge of online testing, don’t worry! Your best bet is to expose your students to the format of the online test as often as possible.

With TeacherMade, you can integrate the new online testing environment into your everyday routine. Worksheets, quizzes, bellwork, etc. can all include the new STAAR item types.

And to accommodate your special students, you can use the audio recording tool, zoom features, and version leveling. TeacherMade is not the exact same online environment, but it’s a reasonable facsimile that can be used daily for classwork.

2023 STAAR RLA Blueprints

These blueprints are new for the 2023 STAAR test for reading and language arts:

Online Assessments and Texas STAAR Technology

You can find detailed information on how different tests will incorporate technology in the linked guides below. Each guide explains the question types for the Spring 2023 test. It also details scoring information as well.

One way teachers can prepare students for the Texas STAAR test is to use online worksheets and assignments that mirror STAAR test conditions for students. TeacherMade makes it easy to replicate question types for everyday assignments. Try TeacherMade today.

Other STAAR updates

The most significant update to STAAR is the new question types and digital format. But we still want to make sure you know about the rest of the test. Here are a few more updates.

Cross-Curricular Items on Texas STAAR

Over the past few years, the cross-curricular items have steadily increased on the Texas STAAR Test. A cross-curricular item is a question on a subject-specific test that comes from a different subject. The goal in RLA is to have reading passages from the other subject areas for every test item by 2023-2024.

Writing

The state of Texas has discontinued the STAAR writing tests. But that doesn’t mean students won’t be tested on writing. You will see writing items incorporated into the STAAR Grades 3-8 RLA tests. TeacherMade has options for short answer and open answer questions.

Accommodations for Texas STAAR

The Texas Department of Education has every intention of using online assessment to satisfy the majority of accommodations. Online testing makes accommodations more accessible due to fewer errors, standardization of how accommodations are applied, and quicker feedback. There are some exceptions to this. The state has opened up the opportunity to apply for Special Paper Administration of an Online Test Policy.

Through-Year Assessments

In the future, the Texas STAAR could move to through-year assessments. This means that the assessment will be broken down into three smaller tests. These tests would be administered throughout the year. The benefit of this would be a more holistic view of student growth without such a large test. This would mirror formative assessment strategies that teachers already employ in the classroom.

The best way to prepare for future assessment changes is to adopt formative assessment strategies that mirror the Texas STAAR. TeacherMade can turn your existing formative assessment tools into online interactive activities that reflect standardized tests.

Get ready for Texas STAAR with TeacherMade

It can feel daunting preparing students for a test that now has a new format. But you don’t have to throw out your typical review materials. Repurpose them with TeacherMade. TeacherMade makes converting your assignment, worksheets, and test into a digital format easy. Simply upload your PDFs into TeacherMade. These documents become your background. Then, use our drag and drop interface to put various question types anywhere on the document. Converting your PDFs, Microsoft Docs, and images take just a few minutes. You can even set your assignment to self-score to save even more time!