{"id":16086,"date":"2025-02-19T12:12:14","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T17:12:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/?p=16086"},"modified":"2025-02-20T14:16:34","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T19:16:34","slug":"new-staar-item-types","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/news-blog\/new-staar-item-types\/","title":{"rendered":"New STAAR\u00ae Item Types with Example Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Written by Rheanne Renzenbrink. Rheanne is a former secondary English teacher in Texas with over a decade of experience in the classroom, standardized testing, teaching with TEKS, and helping students succeed on STAAR\u00ae exams.<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As a former secondary English teacher with over 10 years of experience in Texas<\/a> classrooms, I\u2019ve seen firsthand how STAAR\u00ae has evolved over the years. The latest redesign brings some of the biggest changes yet\u2014particularly in question types. Gone are the days of nearly all multiple-choice questions. Instead, students now face a variety of <\/span>Technology-Enhanced Items (TEIs)<\/b><\/a> that require deeper thinking, multiple responses, and interactive engagement with test content.<\/span><\/p>\n

For many students, these new TEIs can be a challenge. They now have to type responses, drag and drop answers, and write full-length essays\u2014all within a timed test environment. Understanding these changes is key to helping students succeed, so let\u2019s break down the trickiest new STAAR\u00ae item types, why students struggle with them, and how we can better prepare them, including looking at interactive example questions from the Progress Learning platform below.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Why the Change?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The STAAR\u00ae redesign, implemented in the <\/span>2022\u20132023 school year<\/b>, was driven by <\/span>House Bill (HB) 3906 (2019) and HB 3261 (2021)<\/b> to better align assessments with classroom instruction. One of the biggest shifts is the introduction of <\/span>new question formats<\/b> and a <\/span>multiple-choice cap<\/b>, meaning no more than <\/span>75% of the test<\/b> can be multiple-choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a teacher, I often had students who could guess their way through multiple-choice questions but struggled when asked to explain their thinking. The new item types force students to <\/span>demonstrate deeper understanding<\/b>, which is great for learning\u2014but also a big adjustment.<\/span><\/p>\n

STAAR\u00ae 2.0: New Question Types Overview<\/b><\/h2>\n

The table below provides an <\/span>overview of each new STAAR\u00ae question type<\/b>, a brief description, which subjects include it, and whether <\/span>Progress Learning supports it<\/b> for practice.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Question Type<\/b><\/td>\nDescription<\/b><\/td>\nSubjects<\/b><\/td>\nSupported by Progress Learning?<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Equation Editor<\/b><\/td>\nStudents enter fractions, expressions, equations, or inequalities.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (3\u20138, EOC)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Text Entry<\/b><\/td>\nStudents type a number, word, or phrase as a response.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (3\u20138, EOC), RLA (6\u20138, EOC), Science (8), Social Studies (8)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Graphing<\/b><\/td>\nStudents plot points, draw lines, or adjust bar graphs.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (3\u20138, EOC)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number Line<\/b><\/td>\nStudents plot points, draw rays, or mark solutions on a number line.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (6\u20138, EOC)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Inline Choice<\/b><\/td>\nStudents select the correct response from a drop-down menu.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (3\u20138, EOC), RLA (3\u20138, EOC), Science (8), Social Studies (8)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hot Spot<\/b><\/td>\nStudents click one or more specific areas on a graphic.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (3\u20138, EOC), Science (5, 8, EOC), Social Studies (8)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hot Text<\/b><\/td>\nStudents select highlighted words or sentences as textual evidence.<\/span><\/td>\nRLA (3\u20135, 8, EOC)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fraction Model<\/b><\/td>\nStudents divide and shade sections to represent a fraction.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (3\u20135)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Drag and Drop<\/b><\/td>\nStudents drag words, numbers, or symbols into correct locations.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (3\u20138, EOC), Science (5, 8, EOC), Social Studies (8)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Multipart<\/b><\/td>\nStudents answer a two-part question, often explaining their reasoning.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (3\u20138, EOC), Science (5, 8, EOC), Social Studies (8)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Match Table Grid<\/b><\/td>\nStudents match statements or objects to categories in a grid.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (6\u20138, EOC), RLA (8, EOC), Science (8), Social Studies (8)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Multiselect<\/b><\/td>\nStudents select <\/span>multiple<\/b> correct answers from a list.<\/span><\/td>\nMath (3\u20138, EOC), RLA (3\u20138, EOC), Science (5, 8, EOC), Social Studies (8)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Short Constructed Response<\/b><\/td>\nStudents write a brief answer to explain or analyze.<\/span><\/td>\nRLA (3\u20138, EOC), Science (5, 8, EOC), Social Studies (8)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Extended Constructed Response<\/b><\/td>\nStudents write an in-depth essay analyzing or evaluating a passage.<\/span><\/td>\nRLA (3\u20138, EOC)<\/span><\/td>\n\u2705 Yes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Breaking Down the Toughest Question Types<\/b><\/h2>\n

The new STAAR\u00ae format presents unique challenges for students, especially those who struggle with written responses and digital tools. Below are the <\/span>three most challenging question types<\/b>, why they\u2019re difficult, and how to help students master them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Short Constructed Response<\/b><\/h2>\n

What It Is<\/b><\/p>\n

Students must provide a <\/span>brief written response<\/b> to answer a question. These appear in <\/span>Reading Language Arts (RLA), science, and social studies<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why It\u2019s Challenging<\/b><\/p>\n

Students often struggle with short constructed responses because they:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Write one-word or incomplete answers.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Forget to use evidence from the passage.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Overcomplicate their responses with unnecessary details.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Tips for Success<\/b><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Use the RACE strategy (Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain) to structure responses.<\/li>\n
    • Encourage students to underline key details in the passage before writing.<\/li>\n
    • Remind them to be concise\u2014they don\u2019t need a full paragraph.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Example Question – 5th Grade Science<\/b><\/p>\n

      \n