STAAR Alt 2: Participation Requirements, Released Tests and HB 8

Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

STAAR Alt 2 (STAAR Alternate 2) is the Texas alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards, given one-on-one to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who receive special education services and whose ARD committee finds they meet the participation requirements. It covers the same grades, subjects and courses as STAAR. This guide covers the 2026-27 participation requirements, how the test is administered and scored, released tests, the 2027 testing window, the federal 1% cap, and what HB 8 changes when STAAR is replaced in 2027-28.

Executive Summary

In 2024-25, 41,601 Texas students took STAAR Alternate 2 in mathematics, 1.4% of students enrolled in tested grades and courses, and 1.3% took it in reading language arts and in science, according to TEA’s waiver request to the U.S. Department of Education. Federal rules cap participation at 1.0% per subject statewide, so Texas has needed a waiver and has tightened its requirements since 2023-24.

HB 8 (2025) replaces STAAR with the Student Success Tool in 2027-28, and TEA’s 2027-28 calendar lists an “SST Alternate” assessment in place of STAAR Alternate 2. For 2026-27, the August 2026 participation requirements and the spring 2027 window apply.

What Is STAAR Alt 2?

STAAR Alt 2 is a standardized, item-based paper assessment in mathematics, reading language arts (RLA), science and social studies for grades 3-8 and high school, administered individually to eligible students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

It meets ESSA and IDEA requirements, according to TEA’s STAAR Alternate 2 Resources page. Students reach grade-level content through prerequisite skills, student expectations from earlier grades linked to each grade’s standards. English language proficiency testing is a separate decision; see TELPAS Alternate.

TEA defines a student with the most significant cognitive disability as one with significant intellectual and adaptive behavior deficits in the ability to plan, comprehend and reason, whose adaptive deficits limit social and practical skills across all life domains, and who needs extensive, direct, individualized instruction and supports that are neither temporary nor limited to one content area.

STAAR Alt 2 Participation Requirements

The ARD committee makes the decision using the STAAR Alternate 2 Participation Requirements form (August 2026 version, in English and Spanish), reviewed against the IEP and the present levels. How the committee works is covered in our ARD meeting guide. TEA’s Educator Guide asks committees to decide before the testing window opens or, for the next school year, at the end of the current one.

Step I: Two Screening Questions

If the student’s eligibility is a specific learning disability, or a speech impairment as the only disability, the review stops and the student takes STAAR. Under the Texas Dyslexia Handbook and TEC 29.0031, dyslexia is a specific learning disability, so dyslexia alone never leads to STAAR Alternate 2.

Step II: Eight Criteria

The committee marks one of two descriptions in each of eight rows covering academic goals, assessment methods, the breadth of needs, functional goals, supports for daily safety and participation, self-care, following routines and communication. Only a student whose IEP data place every row in the second column, the one describing prerequisite-skill goals in all content areas and ongoing adult assistance across all settings, has the most significant cognitive disability. When the committee hesitates between columns, the form tells it to presume competence and choose the first column. Evidence for each Column 2 answer must be documented, and evidence of a cognitive disability must come from assessment data provided by an assessment specialist.

Step III: Assurances

• Not based on the wrong reasons: the decision cannot rest on disability category, setting, demographics, need for STAAR accommodations, below-grade reading, absences, anticipated disruptive behavior or emotional distress, or expected poor STAAR performance and its effect on accountability.
• Short-term objectives: IDEA requires benchmarks or short-term objectives for students on alternate assessments (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii)), and TEA requires two for every annual goal.
• Graduation: the committee acknowledges that the decision may affect the student’s graduation plan under 19 TAC 89.1070.
• A written rationale: the IEP must state why the student cannot take STAAR and why the alternate is appropriate (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(ii) and 19 TAC 89.1055).

Step IV and Other Rules

Step IV records the enrolled grade or alternate high school courses to be tested. TEA’s participation FAQ adds that a student cannot qualify in some subjects only, no student is grandfathered from a prior year, a 1:1 staffing ratio is not a criterion, and the completed form becomes part of the IEP. A student who no longer qualifies takes STAAR, and the ARD committee may still decide under 19 TAC 89.1070 that passing an end-of-course (EOC) test is not required for graduation.

Medical Exception and No Authentic Academic Response

In rare cases, a student who meets the requirements does not test. A medical exception applies to a medically fragile student, with the condition verified in writing by a licensed physician. A No Authentic Academic Response (NAAR) designation applies to a student who, because of multiple impairments or level of cognition, cannot receive information or respond authentically during instruction. Both use TEA forms shared with TELPAS Alternate and must be documented in the IEP before testing.

Grades and Subjects Tested

Students in grades 3-8 test at their enrolled grade, never above it. High school students take the EOC for an alternate course with the matching PEIMS course number that they complete during the school year (August through July). The test is given once a year, in the spring, with no retest, so the spring 2027 window is the last STAAR Alternate 2 English II administration (the June 2027 date in the 2026-27 Educator Guide is the final STAAR English II window).

How STAAR Alt 2 Is Administered

• Design: each question measures a prerequisite skill. Four questions form a cluster on one essence or strand statement, from easiest to most complex, and five clusters make a 20-question form, usually with one field-test cluster added.
• Materials: scripted secure test instructions, a scoring document, a color student booklet and image cards; large print is available.
• Setting: one-on-one, with no more than the equivalent of one assessment per day; the district decides how many days a student needs.
• Response modes: any mode that clearly shows the chosen answer, whether verbal (including word approximations or a communication device), physical (pointing, touching, signing, a choice board) or visual (eye gaze, blinking).
• Staff: test administrators must be trained in test security and administration; TEA recommends annual training.

STAAR Alt 2 Accommodations

Accommodations must be listed in the IEP, used routinely in instruction, and must not lead the student to the answer. TEA’s allowable list includes highlighting, color overlays, pairing images with photographs or real objects, textured materials, enlargement, braille, image descriptions, presenting images one at a time, manipulatives and calculators, rereading text, structured reminders and translating the presentation instructions (never the test content). Anything else needs TEA approval. For the difference between supports and changes in expectations, see accommodations vs modifications.

How STAAR Alt 2 Is Scored

The test administrator scores each question during the session, following scripted instructions. A correct first response is marked A. After an incorrect response, the script calls for a specific support that depends on the question’s position in the cluster: removing the stimulus and waiting at least five seconds, modeling the answer, an allowable teacher assist, or repeating the instructions. A correct answer after that support is marked B; otherwise C. Responses are submitted through TEA’s Response Entry system.

Results use three performance levels: Level III Accomplished, Level II Satisfactory and Level I Developing Academic Performance; TEA states that students at Developing have not passed. Reports show scale scores and results by reporting category, and families see report cards in the Family Portal.

STAAR Alt 2 Released Tests and Resources

TEA’s released test questions page offers complete released forms from 2025, 2023, 2019 and 2016, each with secure test instructions and a student booklet for every grade, subject and course, plus sample questions from 2022 and 2015. TEA says they help staff learn the format, practice the presentation instructions and plan how a student will access the images.

The resources page also posts blueprints (new science blueprints began in spring 2026), curriculum frameworks, essence statements, vertical alignment documents and instructional terms lists. They support instruction all year; goals for underlying skills such as communication and routines are covered in functional IEP goals.

STAAR Alt 2 Testing Window for 2026-27

Dates are from TEA’s 2026-27 testing calendar (updated August 2026) and the Test Administrator Manual. TEA recommends testing early to allow for make-ups and reserving the last week to confirm that every student has tested and all data are entered. Presenting test concepts to a student after previewing secure materials is a serious testing violation.

The 1% Cap on Alternate Assessments

Under 34 CFR 200.6(c)(2), students assessed on an alternate assessment aligned with alternate standards may not exceed 1.0% of all students assessed in a subject statewide. The cap applies to the state, not to each district: a state may not prohibit a district from exceeding 1.0%, but the district must justify it (200.6(c)(3)). A state expecting to exceed the cap may request a one-year waiver (200.6(c)(4)). Disability category, English learner status, low achievement or past accommodations cannot by themselves determine eligibility, and parents must be told how alternate standards may affect a regular diploma (200.6(d)).

Source: TEA, Texas One Percent Waiver Request, 2025-2026 (rates based on enrolled students). After the U.S. Department of Education denied a Texas waiver request in March 2023, TEA revised the requirements for 2023-24; a one-year waiver was granted in April 2025, and TEA asked to extend it for 2025-26. Participation is uneven: in 2024-25 mathematics, 1.9% of male students and 0.9% of female students took the alternate.

STAAR Alt 2 and HB 8: What Changes in 2027-28

HB 8, passed in the 89th Legislature’s second called session and signed in September 2025, took effect December 4, 2025. It replaces STAAR with the Student Success Tool (SST) beginning in 2027-28.

What Is Confirmed

• The law: amended TEC 39.023(b) requires TEA to develop or adopt criterion-referenced alternative assessments for special education students identified with a significant cognitive disability for whom the end-of-year or EOC test would not be an appropriate measure even with accommodations, as determined by TEA guidelines and the ARD committee. It applies from 2027-28 (HB 8, sections 1.004 and 5.003).
• No beginning- or middle-of-year tests: students eligible for the alternate are exempt from SST beginning-of-year and middle-of-year tests, and TEA’s August 2026 HB 8 FAQ confirms there will be no alternate versions of them.
• A new name and window: TEA’s March 2026 calendar letter refers to “the SST Alternate assessment, previously STAAR Alternate 2”; its final 2027-28 calendar sets the window for March 13 to April 14, 2028, with preview from February 28.
• No English II: HB 8 removes the English II EOC from 2027-28; SST Alternate covers grades 3-8 subjects plus Algebra I, English I, Biology and U.S. History.

What TEA Has Not Yet Published

None of the TEA documents reviewed for this guide, through October 2026, include SST Alternate participation requirements, blueprints, test format, performance standards or released items. The 2026-27 STAAR Alternate 2 documents remain in force, and the federal 1% cap still applies.

Funding and Staffing

For districts, the main cost of STAAR Alternate 2 is staff time: one-on-one sessions, preparing accommodated materials and data entry. IDEA Part B and the state special education allotment (TEC 48.102, based on tiers of intensity of service since September 1, 2026, with transition formulas for 2026-27 under TEC 48.1022) fund the instruction behind the test, and district purchases can go through TIPS cooperative purchasing. With 45 states reporting special education teacher shortages (Learning Policy Institute, 2024-25 data), planning test administrator time early matters.

Common Mistakes District Leaders Make

1. Deciding by classroom or label. Placement in a particular program or a disability category is not a criterion.
2. Choosing the alternate to protect scores. Expected poor STAAR performance and accountability effects are excluded reasons.
3. Missing short-term objectives. Every annual goal needs two for these students.
4. Carrying last year’s decision forward. Participation is decided each year with the current form.
5. Splitting subjects. A student qualifies in all tested subjects or none.
6. Using accommodations not in the IEP or not used in daily instruction.
7. Not explaining diploma effects to parents, as federal rules require (34 CFR 200.6(d)(3)).

Questions District Leaders Should Ask

• What share of our assessed students take STAAR Alternate 2 in each subject?
• Are any student groups overrepresented among our alternate testers?
• How many of those students have two short-term objectives for every annual goal?
• Were all assessment decisions made before the window opened?
• What have we told families about the move to SST Alternate in 2027-28?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the STAAR alt 2 test?

STAAR Alternate 2 is the Texas alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who receive special education services. It is a paper, item-based test given one-on-one in mathematics, RLA, science and social studies for grades 3-8 and five high school courses, with scripted instructions and questions that measure prerequisite skills linked to grade-level standards.

Who is eligible to participate in the STAAR alternate 2 assessment?

A student receiving special education services whose ARD committee finds, using TEA’s participation requirements, that the student has the most significant cognitive disability: every one of eight criteria points to prerequisite-skill goals in all content areas and ongoing adult support across all settings. A specific learning disability or a speech impairment alone does not qualify, and the decision is made every year.

Is STAAR being discontinued?

Yes. HB 8 (2025) replaces STAAR with the Student Success Tool starting in 2027-28. TEA says the last STAAR administrations are spring 2027 for grades 3-8 and December 2027 for end-of-course tests. STAAR Alternate 2 is succeeded by the SST Alternate assessment, with a first window of March 13 to April 14, 2028. Its participation rules and design have not yet been published.

When is the STAAR Alt 2 testing window in 2027?

The 2026-27 window runs from March 15 to April 16, 2027, according to TEA’s testing calendar. Test administrators may preview materials, but not test, from March 1. All assessments must be completed in Response Entry by 11:59 p.m. Central on April 16, and results are scheduled for June 9, 2027.

Where can I find STAAR Alt 2 released tests?

On TEA’s STAAR Alternate 2 Released Test Questions page. It offers full released forms from 2025, 2023, 2019 and 2016, each with secure test instructions and a student booklet for every grade, subject and course, plus sample questions from 2022 and 2015. They are printable PDFs for practicing the format and planning accommodations.

Can AI help teachers prepare students for STAAR Alt 2?

AI tools can help a teacher create extra practice in the style of released items, such as picture-based questions on a prerequisite skill, or simplify the wording of a lesson. Never enter secure test materials or student information into an AI tool, follow district policy, and check every item against the curriculum framework. See the ChatGPT for teachers guide.

Related Resources

• ARD Meeting Guide for Texas Schools
• TELPAS Alternate
• Texas Dyslexia Handbook
• Functional IEP Goals
• Accommodations vs Modifications
• IEP Accommodations

Conclusion

STAAR Alt 2 works when the decision is honest and the preparation is careful: an ARD committee that applies all eight criteria to real data, an IEP with objectives and a written rationale, trained administrators and a schedule that leaves room for make-ups. Those habits carry over to the SST Alternate in 2027-28, whatever details TEA publishes next.

Sources: TEA, STAAR Alternate 2 Resources; TEA, STAAR Alternate 2 Educator Guide, 2026-2027; TEA, STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator Manual, 2026-2027; TEA, STAAR Alternate 2 Participation Requirements (August 2026); TEA, Participation Requirements FAQ (August 2025); TEA, 2026-2027 Student Assessment Testing Calendar; TEA, Texas One Percent Waiver Request, 2025-2026; 34 CFR 200.6, Inclusion of all students; HB 8, 89th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, enrolled text; TEA, School Year 2027-28 Student Assessment Testing Calendar (March 19, 2026); TEA, House Bill 8 Frequently Asked Questions (August 2026). Other sources are linked where they are cited.

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