ARD Committee Decision Making/STAAR

STAAR (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness)

If your child is in grades 3-8, your child will take the STAAR test for his/her respective grade level.

If your child is in grade 9-12, he/she will take STAAR End of Course exams for the specific courses they are taking. To understand how passing End of Course tests impact graduation - See Graduation Options.

At each ARD meeting, the ARD committee (which includes parents) discusses

how your child accesses grade level curriculum for each subject tested and
the statewide assessment options for the student.

It is expected that the ARD committee always considers the STAAR, with approved or allowable accommodations (as outlined in the Accommodation Resources), as the first option when making assessment decisions. Accommodations can be provided to students who meet the established eligibility criteria for a specific accommodation and:

Receive special education services,
Receive 504 services, or
Have a disabling condition and do not receive 504 or special education services.

To learn more about the STAAR tests, parents should review the STAAR Specific Resources. By reviewing the resources, parents may find it easier to determine which test is appropriate for their child, as well as help them develop possible IEP goals. These resources show:

what students are required to know at each grade level (the curriculum or TEKS),
why the TEKS objective is tested,
the number of items tested under each TEKS objective, and
examples (released test items) of how those expectations are met/tested.

If the ARD committee determines that STAAR is not appropriate, they must use the state-required Participation Requirement forms (for STAAR Online or STAAR Alternate 2) to document their decisions within the IEP.

What are the Participation Requirements for STAAR Online or STAAR Alternate 2?

What are the options for a student who speaks a language other than English?

See the STAAR – L test information or STAAR Spanish (grades 3-5 only).

What Parents Need To Know

Do you feel totally confused about which assessment your child should take? If you do not understand the implications of your choices, know that you are like any other parent of a child receiving special education services. Even though parents are all in the same predicament, we still have to make educated decisions.

So ask questions of school personnel that will help you learn about the options. Consider spending some time on the Student Assessment Division website at TEA. Prior to attending your ARD meeting, find out what the latest changes are before you make decisions that will affect your child. Remember, these assessment decisions may affect your child’s future graduation options when he or she is in high school.

Additional Resources:

Texas Project FIRST: