Overview
The Elementary School Students in Texas: Algebra Ready (ESTAR) and Middle-School Students in Texas: Algebra Ready (MSTAR) Universal Screeners (US) are an online formative assessment system administered to students in grades 2–4 (ESTAR) and grades 5–8 (MSTAR).
The purpose of the ESTAR/MSTAR US are to help guide instructional decisions in relation to students’ readiness for algebra. The results, which are reported using the Response to Intervention tiers, can be used to help teachers determine if students are on track or at risk for meeting curricular expectations in algebra and for algebra readiness. Results also help teachers determine the intensity of the instructional support students need if they have been identified as at risk for not meeting curricular expectations in algebra and for algebra readiness. Teachers are able to monitor students’ risk status by administering comparable forms of the ESTAR/MSTAR US in fall, winter, and early spring.
The ESTAR/MSTAR Diagnostic Assessments (DA) are administered only to students identified through the ESTAR/MSTAR US as struggling with algebra-readiness knowledge and skills. The DA are used to identity why students are struggling with algebra-related core instruction and to provide information that can be used to plan supplemental instruction.
The ESTAR/MSTAR US and DA can be accessed at https://estarmstar.org.
Districts that would like to administer the ESTAR/MSTAR Universal Screener and Diagnostic Assessments must create unique district administrator accounts as well as teacher and student accounts. For questions about accounts and general assistance related to the ESTAR/MSTAR Universal Screener or Diagnostic Assessments, please contact mathtx@esc13.net.
Getting Started
Download 2018–2019 ESTAR MSTAR Manual
Download the Universal Screener FAQ
Administration Windows
Universal Screener
The 2023–2024 administration windows for the ESTAR/MSTAR Universal Screeners have been scheduled as follows:
Fall: August 14, 2023 – October 13, 2023
Winter: January 8, 2024 – February 9, 2024
Spring: April 15, 2024 – May 17, 2024
Diagnostic Assessment
The 2023–2024 administration windows for the ESTAR/MSTAR Diagnostic Assessments have been scheduled as follows:
Fall: August 21, 2023 – October 20, 2023
Winter: January 15, 2024 – February 16, 2024
Spring: April 22, 2024 – May 24, 2024
Professional Development
Professional development opportunities are currently available on the Texas Math Support Center site and offer CEU credits.
The following are the course descriptions along with links to the courses.
This course provides a brief overview of the ESTAR/MSTAR Universal Screeners and describes how to interpret the results obtained after administering a screener. Results from the ESTAR/MSTAR Universal Screeners guide instructional decision making and help educators identify the intensity of support needed for students who might be at risk for not meeting expectations in algebra and algebra readiness skills. CEU credit is 2.
Diagnostic Assessments Overview
This course provides a brief overview of the ESTAR/MSTAR Diagnostic Assessments, examines how learning progressions fit with the Diagnostic Assessments, discusses how the diagnostic assessments were developed, and provides guidance on how to interpret the results. CEU credit is 2.
This course explores the learning progressions created specifically for the ESTAR/MSTAR Diagnostic Assessments. Participants will explore the definition of learning progressions in general, information about the ESTAR/MSTAR learning progressions, and the use of learning progressions in mathematics instruction and assessment in order to better prepare students for algebra. Participants will also become familiar with the ESTAR/MSTAR Diagnostic Assessments. CEU credit is 3.