Texas · 4 rubrics
Texas STAAR Writing and Reading Rubrics
STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) is the Texas state test. Since the spring 2023 redesign, every Reading Language Arts test from grade 3 through English II includes written answers scored with rubrics: one extended constructed response (an essay) and several short constructed responses.
Texas rubrics on EasyClass
| Rubric | Grades | Task | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAAR ECR Rubric, Grades 6–8 and English I–II (Argumentative) | Grades 6–8, English I and English II | Argumentative · Extended constructed response (essay) | 5 points · 2 criteria |
| STAAR ECR Rubric, Grades 3–5 (Argumentative/Opinion) | Grades 3–5 | Argumentative/Opinion · Extended constructed response (essay) | 5 points · 2 criteria |
| STAAR Reading Short Constructed Response (SCR) Rubric | Grades 3–8, English I and English II | Short constructed response (reading) | 2 points |
| STAAR Writing Short Constructed Response (SCR) Rubric | Grades 3–8, English I and English II | Short constructed response (writing) | 1 point |
About the Texas rubrics
The essay is scored on a 5-point rubric with two traits, Development and Organization of Ideas (0–3) and Conventions (0–2). Two scores are added, so it counts for 10 points on the test. TEA has published four English essay rubrics since Fall 2022: argumentative/opinion and informational, each for grades 3–5 and for grade 6 through English II, plus Spanish versions for grades 3–5.
Short constructed responses come in two kinds. Reading SCRs are worth 2 points (an accurate answer plus text evidence). Writing SCRs are worth 1 point (one clear, complete revised sentence). Each test item has its own rubric; the pages below show the pattern they share.
Since December 2023, an automated scoring engine scores English-version responses first, and trained human scorers score at least 25% of them (TEA, Scoring Process for STAAR Constructed Responses: https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/staar/scoring-process-staar-constructed-response.pdf).
What changed and what’s coming
- STAAR is being replaced. House Bill 8 (2025) creates the Student Success Tool (SST), with beginning-, middle- and end-of-year tests, starting in the 2027–28 school year. STAAR remains in use through 2026–27 (TEA HB 8 FAQ, August 2026: https://tea.texas.gov/data-reports/staar/hb-8-faq-update.pdf; TAA letter of August 20, 2026: https://tea.texas.gov/taa-letters/house-bill-8-update-and-resources).
- TEA has posted DRAFT SST writing rubrics (August 2026) that score the essay out of 3: Organization and Development of Ideas 0–2 and Conventions 0–1, for grades 3–5 and grade 6 through English I (example: https://tea.texas.gov/data-reports/staar/sst-3-5-argumentative-opinion-writing-rubric.pdf). We will add SST pages once TEA finalizes them.
- Under HB 8 the English II end-of-course test is removed; students in English II during 2026–27 still take it, and it is no longer a graduation requirement for students graduating after August 31, 2027.
- The rubrics on these pages keep TEA's trait names, point values and score order; the descriptors are written by EasyClass. Each page links to the official TEA document. EasyClass is not affiliated with the Texas Education Agency. STAAR® is a registered trademark of the Texas Education Agency.
Each page lists the official document it was checked against and the date. How we check rubrics.
Questions about the Texas rubrics
How many points is the STAAR essay worth?
The essay rubric is 5 points: up to 3 for Development and Organization of Ideas and up to 2 for Conventions. Each essay gets two scores that are added, so it counts for up to 10 points on the test.
Which STAAR rubric should I use for my students' essay?
Pick by grade band and by the mode of the prompt. Grades 3–5 and grade 6 through English II each have an argumentative/opinion rubric and an informational rubric. An essay that argues a position uses the argumentative rubric; one that explains uses the informational rubric.
Is STAAR going away?
Yes, on TEA's current timeline. HB 8 replaces STAAR with the Student Success Tool beginning in the 2027–28 school year, so the 2026–27 tests are still STAAR.
Are these the official TEA rubrics?
No. They follow the structure of TEA's rubrics exactly, but the descriptor wording is ours, because TEA reserves the rights to its scoring materials. Use the link on each page to open TEA's PDF.
Are there Spanish STAAR rubrics?
Yes. TEA publishes Spanish argumentative/opinion and informational essay rubrics for grades 3–5 with the same two traits and point values. We have not built pages for them yet.
Grade a stack of essays tonight.
Pick any rubric above, upload your students’ essays, and check every score before it goes back.