What are EOCs/STAAR Exams?
The STAAR EOC (End-of-Course) assessments test high school students’ mastery of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for a given course and determine college and career readiness.
If a student in grade 8 or below is taking a course for which there is a STAAR EOC test, that student will be required to take that particular STAAR EOC assessment.
End-of-course exams are given in the following subjects: Algebra I, Biology, English I, English II, & US History.
Please contact your student’s counselor for more information on graduation requirements.
Who needs to take EOCs?
If a student earns course credit for a class that has a corresponding EOC from a Texas public school, then the student will be required to take the EOC.
Students in the FAC program will take STAAR Alternate 2 for the corresponding EOC tests.
Students in the FLC program do not take STAAR EOCs.
Can my child be exempt from EOCs?
The following are some of the reasons a student could be exempt from an end-of-course exam:
Course credit was earned out of state or out of country
Course credit was earned in 2020 (COVID exemption)
Course credit earned via homeschool
Course credit earned via private school
ARD committee accepted a student's EOC score
When do students take EOCs?
This can vary student-to-student based on the credits a student may have or the amount of "seat time" a student has had in a class. If a student does not pass, they will continue to take the test until they pass.
Algebra I is typically taken in 8th or 9th grade.
Biology is typically taken in 9th grade.
English I is typically taken in 9th grade.
English II is typically taken in 10th grade.
US History is typically taken in 11th grade.
EOCs are offered in December, April, May, and June each academic year. Students are automatically registered for each administration of the tests and are required to be tested if present on campus.
Students may need to take an April or May EOC if:
they are enrolled in a year-long course with an associated EOC
They did not pass an exam previously, their scores were invalidated, or they were absent
The June EOC administration of EOCs are optional but can be a great option if:
A student is taking EOC prep or credit recovery during summer learning
A student was absent during the spring administration & does not want to wait to test until December
Students may need to take a December EOC if:
They did not pass an exam previously, their scores were invalidated, or they were absent
They are taking / took an accelerated course (US History at ACC, Accelerated Algebra I)
What if my student does not pass an EOC?
Students are required to retest until they receive a passing score for an end-of-course exam. You will automatically be scheduled for the next administration of the EOC if you score "Does not meet grade level."
You may discuss tutorials with your counselor & teacher(s). Summer learning typically offers an EOC prep course as well.
Seniors who are missing passing EOC scores will be contacted by their Individual Graduation Committee in the spring semester to discuss options for graduation.
You can view your student's STAAR scores on the TEA Family Portal. You will need your student's:
Unique Access Code
Their access code can be found on a previous STAAR report card or on Home Access Center.
Date of Birth
Legal First Name