From TEA's 2026 released tests
STAAR Question Types:
Try Every One
Every type, and how often it appears
| Question type | What your child does | On the 2026 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Choice | Pick the one correct answer from four choices. | 403 questionsG3 Math, G4 Math, G5 Math, G6 Math, G7 Math, G8 Math, G5 Science, G8 Science, G3 Reading, G4 RLA, G5 RLA, G6 RLA, G7 RLA, G8 RLA |
| Drag and Drop | Drag answer tiles into boxes, a table or an order. | 30 questionsG3 Math, G4 Math, G5 Math, G6 Math, G7 Math, G8 Math, G5 Science, G8 Science |
| Inline Choice | Choose a word or number from a drop-down menu inside a sentence, often more than one menu. | 16 questionsG3 Math, G4 Math, G6 Math, G7 Math, G8 Math, G8 Science, G3 Reading, G4 RLA, G5 RLA, G6 RLA, G7 RLA, G8 RLA |
| Short Constructed Response | Write a few sentences that answer the question with evidence (2 points). | 15 questionsG5 Science, G8 Science, G3 Reading, G4 RLA, G5 RLA, G6 RLA, G7 RLA, G8 RLA |
| Multiselect | Pick every correct answer — usually two — from a longer list. All must be right for the point. | 14 questionsG3 Math, G4 Math, G5 Math, G6 Math, G7 Math, G8 Math, G3 Reading, G6 RLA, G7 RLA |
| Hot Spot | Click the right part of a picture, graph or table. | 8 questionsG3 Math, G4 Math, G5 Math, G6 Math, G8 Math |
| Multipart | Answer Part A, then Part B, which asks for the evidence or reasoning behind Part A. | 7 questionsG5 Science, G8 Science, G4 RLA, G5 RLA, G8 RLA |
| Equation Editor | Type a number or expression with an on-screen math keypad. | 6 questionsG3 Math, G5 Math, G6 Math, G7 Math, G8 Math |
| Text Entry | Type a short answer, such as a word, number or formula. | 6 questionsG8 Science, G6 RLA, G7 RLA, G8 RLA |
| Extended Constructed Response | Write a full essay from the passages (10 points, scored on TEA's rubric). | 6 questionsG3 Reading, G4 RLA, G5 RLA, G6 RLA, G7 RLA, G8 RLA |
| Match Table Grid | Tick the right column for each row of a table. | 5 questionsG6 Math, G7 Math, G8 Math, G5 Science |
| Graphing | Plot points or draw a line on a coordinate grid. | 3 questionsG5 Math, G7 Math |
| Hot Text | Click the sentence or phrase in a passage that answers the question. | 3 questionsG3 Reading, G4 RLA, G5 RLA |
| Fraction Model | Split a shape into equal parts and shade them to show a fraction. | 1 questionG3 Math |
| Number Line | Choose an open or closed point and a ray, and place it on a number line. | 1 questionG7 Math |
Source: TEA — STAAR released test questions Counts are from TEA's 2026 answer keys, all 14 grade 3-8 tests.
Try them
Real questions from our practice tests, one of each interactive type, on the same screens your child uses in a full test. Answer one and press Check my answer.
Questions parents ask
How many questions on STAAR are not multiple choice?
Under the STAAR redesign (HB 3906), multiple-choice questions may make up no more than 75% of a test's points. On TEA's 2026 released tests, between 13% (grade 8 RLA) and 43% (grade 3 math) of the questions were not plain multiple choice, and on the reading tests the written answers alone are worth 14 points.
Which STAAR question types are hardest for kids?
Usually the ones where every part must be right for the point: multiselect (pick all the correct answers), match table grids, and two-part questions where Part B depends on Part A. Practicing on screens that work the same way removes the surprise on test day.
Are the question types the same on paper and online?
STAAR is taken online. Interactive types such as drag and drop, hot spot, graphing and number line only exist on screen, so practicing on a computer or tablet matters.
Do your practice tests use the same question types?
Yes. Each practice test copies TEA's 2026 released test position by position: the same standard, the same question type and the same points at every question number.
Free STAAR practice tests in TEA's 2026 format
Each practice test copies TEA's 2026 released test question by question: the same standards, question types and points, TEA's reference materials and calculator rules, and every answer explained. Pick a grade to see real questions from it.