Exam strategy: complete overview - STAAR English I format, item types, and rubrics

Exam strategy is the skill of knowing the STAAR English I format, the item types, the timing, and the rubrics, and using that knowledge to earn the points your understanding deserves. This site breaks exam strategy into five skills. This overview maps the five skills and how they fit together.

The five exam-strategy skills

Each skill helps you navigate the test itself.

• The redesigned online format. What the STAAR redesign changed and how the assessment is structured and scored. See the redesigned online format.
• The new item types. What each technology-enhanced item type is and how it works. See the new technology-enhanced item types.
• Navigating tech-enhanced items. Practical strategies and on-screen tools for the digital test. See navigating tech-enhanced items.
• Pacing the assessment. Budgeting time so you finish every part, especially the essay. See pacing the assessment.
• Reading the task and rubrics. Decoding prompts and writing toward what scorers reward. See reading the task and rubrics.

The thread through every skill: know the test, then write toward it

The habit that runs through exam strategy is converting knowledge of the test into points. Knowing the format tells you where points come from; knowing the item types prevents avoidable errors and captures partial credit; knowing the tools lets you operate the interface; pacing ensures you finish; and knowing the rubrics lets you write toward exactly what scorers reward. Strategy is not a substitute for reading and writing skill, but it stops the format from costing you points you have earned.

How the pieces fit

• The redesigned format is online, integrated, and capped at 75 percent multiple choice.
• The item types include multiselect, inline choice, hot text, drag-and-drop, hot spot, and multipart, many with partial credit.
• Navigation means reading instructions, using the highlighter and typing box, and completing every part.
• Pacing means protecting the essay block and not over-investing in one question.
• The rubrics (SCR 2-point, ECR 5-point) describe what scorers reward; write toward them.

How to study exam strategy

1. Learn the format so you know where points come from and prepare across all parts.
2. Recognize every item type on sight and know what each asks.
3. Practice the online tools so the interface never slows you down.
4. Rehearse pacing with released tests, protecting time for the essay.
5. Memorize the rubrics and practice reading prompts precisely, then write toward the criteria.

For the official exam materials

TEA publishes released STAAR tests, the constructed-response rubrics and scoring process, and information on the new item types on the STAAR Reading Language Arts resources page and the STAAR redesign page. Always practice from released materials and study the official rubrics, because the format, item types, and scoring are set by TEA.