Exam Overview

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The Elementary School STAAR Science test (formerly called STAAR Grade 5 Science) is given to Texas fifth graders in the spring. It is developed by the Texas Education Agency and measures the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for science: all assessed Grade 5 standards plus selected Grade 3 and Grade 4 standards.

Test Format

24–26

Questions

Points

Strands

Grades 3–5

Science TEKS tested

Elementary School STAAR Science at a Glance
Feature	Details
Questions	24–26 questions worth a total of 30 points
Question value	18–22 one-point questions (multiple choice and other types) and 4–6 two-point questions (not multiple choice)
Question types	Multiple choice, multiselect, multipart, drag and drop, hot spot, inline choice, match table grid, short constructed response, and cluster sets
Cluster sets	One scenario with a graphic or data display, followed by 3–5 questions that are each scored separately
Delivery	Online; paper versions only for students who qualify for them
Timing	No set time limit; students who need more time may keep working until the end of the regular school day
Results	A scale score and one of four performance levels

The Four Strands

TEA groups the tested standards into four strands. The blueprint sets how many questions come from each one:

Blueprint: Questions per Strand
Strand	Questions	Points	What it covers
1. Matter and Energy	3–5	4–7	Physical properties, mixtures, solutions, changes of state
2. Force, Motion, and Energy	4–6	5–8	Balanced and unbalanced forces, circuits, light, energy in waves and moving objects
3. Earth and Space	10–12	11–15	Earth's rotation and shadows, seasons, Moon phases, planets, the water cycle, weather and climate, rocks, fossil fuels, landforms, resources
4. Organisms and Environments	4–6	5–8	Ecosystems, structures and functions, food webs, fossils

Most Questions Come from Earth and Space (blueprint midpoint)

Matter and Energy

Force, Motion, Energy

Earth and Space

Organisms

How Questions Are Chosen

Readiness standards are the most important ideas for the grade and carry most of the points; supporting standards fill the rest. The science and engineering practices (planning investigations, using tools, reading data, using models) are not a separate strand, but they appear inside many questions.

Two-Point Questions

Four to six questions are worth two points. They may ask you to choose more than one correct answer, complete two related parts, drag items into the right places, or write a short constructed response of one to three sentences that uses evidence from a scenario or data. Many give partial credit, so answer every part.

Performance Levels

What the Performance Levels Mean
Performance level	Meaning
Masters Grade Level	Expected to succeed in the next grade with little or no extra help
Meets Grade Level	High likelihood of success in the next grade, though some may need short-term help
Approaches Grade Level	Likely to succeed in the next grade with targeted help
Did Not Meet Grade Level	Unlikely to succeed in the next grade without significant ongoing help

The number of points needed for each level can change slightly from one test form to the next, so TEA reports results as scale scores.

Changes Ahead

Texas law (House Bill 8) will replace STAAR with a new Student Success Tool of shorter beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year tests. Until the new system begins, fifth graders take STAAR as described here. Check tea.texas.gov for the timeline and the latest updates.

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