The Renaissance STAR test is a series of computer-adaptive assessments widely used in the United States and the United Kingdom.
The tests are used to keep track of students reading and math skills throughout the year. In some cases, it is used to determine placement into the Renaissance Accelerated Math and Accelerated Reader programs.
Keep reading to find out more about the Renaissance STAR test and how to prepare for it.
Hi, I'm Liron. STAR Expert at TestPrep-Online
Have a question? Contact me at:
The Renaissance Star Assessments or Renaissance STAR 360 is an assessment system for educators and parents to understand a student's abilities across multiple subjects. It combines three tests: STAR Reading, STAR Math, and STAR Early Literacy.
These short tests are given to students in grades K-12 to track progress in reading, math, and early literacy. Each test takes about 15-30 minutes. Students work at their own pace. Schools can choose to give these tests separately or together. The STAR test system provides reports and dashboards, enabling teachers to create learning plans for each student.
There's also a Spanish version for families with Spanish-speaking students. Some schools even use these tests as part of their admissions process for gifted programs. Overall, the STAR tests offer a user-friendly way for both educators and parents to stay informed about a child's academic growth.
Boost Your STAR Scores!
TestPrep-Online's complete STAR Preparation Packs include
Tutorials, Practice Tests, and Expert Tips from $59
| Grades | Number of Questions | Score Range | Average Time to Complete |
k-12 | 34 | 0-1400 | 20-30 minutes | |
k-12 | 34 | 0-1400 | 20-30 minutes | |
Pre k-3 | 27 | 300-900 | 20 minutes |
The STAR Reading test is administered in grades k-12. It measures a student’s overall reading progression and helps the teacher gather essential data on their abilities and skillset for a more targeted learning experience.
The STAR Reading is also used to predict a student’s performance in standardized state testing and could be used as an indicator for selection into the Accelerated Reader program.
The STAR Reading test is comprised of 34 questions and takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. The questions vary from sentences to short passages, and they are all multiple-choice. The Star Reading test covers five major domains:
Which of the following is a run-on sentence?
Wrong
Correct!
Wrong
Wrong
The correct answer is (B).
A run-on sentence is made up of two sentences that are joined without a conjunction or a period. For example: I opened the door, went outside.
On the contrary, a complete sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. It has both a subject and a verb. For example: I opened the door.
A compound sentence is two sentences joined by a comma or a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
For example: I opened the door and went outside.
To convert a run-on sentence into a complete sentence, separate it into two sentences and add a period after the first sentence.
To convert a run-on sentence into a compound sentence, add a conjunction between the two sentences.
The only run-on sentence is in answer (B). It is made up of two sentences: "I ate a lollipop" and "it was sweet and tasty." These sentences are joined without end punctuation or a conjunction. Therefore, the correct answer is (B).
The STAR Math assessment is administered in grades k-12. It is used for measuring math achievement and progression. In addition, it provides the teacher’s actionable insight into each student’s math proficiency to help focus learning for each student.
The STAR Math is used to predict a student’s performance in standardized state testing and could be used as an indicator for selection into the Accelerated Math program.
The STAR Math test is comprised of 34 questions and takes about 15-30 minutes to complete.
The questions are all multiple-choice and cover four domains:
A motorcyclist is travelling at a constant speed of 40 miles an hour. How far will he travel in two and a half hours?
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
Correct!
The correct answer is (D).
The speed of the motorcyclist is 40 miles per hour. If he is travelling for two and a half hours, then split this time period up into two hours and a half hour.
In two hours, he would cover double the distance than in an hour, so 40 × 2 = 80 miles.
In a half hour, he would cover half the distance than in an hour, so 40 ÷ 2 = 20 miles.
So, in two and a half hours, he would cover 80 miles plus the 20 miles, which is 100 miles.
Therefore, the correct answer is (D).
The Renaissance STAR Early Literacy assessment is administered in grades pre K-3. It is used to measure a student’s reading ability, phonological awareness, and early numeracy skills, all in one short test. The STAR Early Literacy test is comprised of 27 questions and takes about 20 minutes to complete.
The questions are all multiple-choice and cover nine domains:
Read the sentence.
My mother, ______ was born in Russia, can speak both Russian and English fluently.
Which word correctly completes the sentence?
Wrong
Wrong
Correct!
Wrong
The correct answer is (C).
The word that completes the sentence is a relative pronoun. A relative pronoun introduces a dependent (or relative) clause that describes a noun or pronoun. A dependent clause is a group of words that have a subject and a verb but do not form a complete thought.
The five main relative pronouns are who, whom, whose, which, and that.
The relative pronouns who and whom give information about people.
The relative pronoun whose shows possession.
The relative pronouns which and that add unnecessary information about things.
To figure out whether to use who or whom, restate the dependent clause with a personal pronoun. If the clause uses a subject pronoun (he, she, or they), use who. If the clause uses an object pronoun (him, her, or them), use whom.
The dependent clause in the sentence can be stated as "She was born in Russia."
Therefore, the correct relative pronoun that completes the sentence is who, and the correct answer is (C).
Watch this short video to learn everything you need to know about the Renaissance STAR test:
The STAR Renaissance assessments use a scaled score (SS) system to measure student performance. Here are the key points about how STAR tests are scored:
Scaled Score (SS)
The scaled score is the most fundamental score produced by STAR assessments:
Computer-Adaptive Testing
STAR assessments use computer-adaptive technology:
Additional Scoring Metrics
In addition to the scaled score, STAR assessments provide several other scoring metrics:
The Renaissance STAR assessments are computer-adaptive tests, which means that the test’s difficulty adapts depending on how the student answered previous questions. For example, if a student responds to a question incorrectly, the next question will be easier, and vice versa.
The tests are not timed, although some questions are timed to keep the test moving and for security reasons.
The tests are multiple-choice with 3-4 answer choices for each question.
Students are allowed a pen/pencil and paper during the test.
Each school purposes the STAR tests in different ways, yet they are usually administered three times throughout the academic year: at the beginning (September-October), middle (January-February), and end (May-June).
Are you looking for other levels that you don't see here? Check out our MAP Packs, which contain a thorough preparation for the NWEA assessment test, as they feature many similar materials to the ones used on the STAR. Although the MAP test has a different format and method of administration, practicing with MAP materials could provide an excellent preparation alternative if your desired STAR level and topic is missing.
For the complete Teachers solution, click here!
The STAR acronym used to mean “Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading.” This is no longer the case, as Renaissance Learning has created STAR assessments for math and early literacy skills. The company decided to keep the name.
The Star test keeps track of students’ reading and math skills throughout the year and serves as an indicator of a student’s performance in standardized state testing. In some cases, it is used to determine placement into Accelerated Math and Accelerated Reader programs.
Students cannot use external resources such as dictionaries or calculators during the test; they can only use a pen and paper.
The Accelerated Math program is a daily tracking and progression computer-based program for monitoring mathematical skills and abilities, from preschool math through calculus.
Since 1992, TestPrep-Online has helped individuals prepare for all kinds of tests. From entrance exams into gifted programs, to assessment tests, and graduate assessment and placement tests, TestPrep-Online can help you prepare and pass.