Texas Formative Assessment Resource

Contact Information

For additional information, contact TEA using the Student Assessment Help Desk or call 512-463-9536.

Student Assessment Help Desk

Important Notice: (1)

Texas Formative Assessment Resource Discontinuation

The 2026–27 school year is the final year districts may use the Texas Formative Assessment Resource (TFAR). Districts may use TFAR during the 2026–27 school year as Texas prepares for the transition to the Student Success Tool (SST). Beginning with the 2027–28 school year, TFAR will no longer be available.

More information will be provided on how TFAR users can save student data and locally created assessment items before the system is discontinued.

What is the Texas Formative Assessment Resource?

TFAR is a free online platform that helps educators design, administer, and share formative assessments. Formative assessment data are used to inform teaching decisions and improve instructional support.

TFAR assessments should be combined with a broader set of classroom formative practices that are part of a coherent instructional framework. The assessments should not replace other ways of checking and monitoring student learning in the classroom.

Who Can Use the Resource?

TFAR is an optional tool available at no cost to Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools, and its use is not tied to accountability. To use TFAR, contact your campus or district testing coordinator.

What Are the benefits of Using the Resource?

Districts that use TFAR may experience the following benefits:

  • Increased Student Access to TEKS-Aligned Questions—TFAR includes released State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) questions and STAAR item-type templates that allow educators to create targeted curriculum-based formative assessment items aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
  • Increased Familiarity with Testing Platform—TFAR is administered on the same online platform as STAAR, giving students an additional opportunity to interact with the system’s functionalities, including accommodations and accessibility tools.
  • Access to Real-Time Data on Student Learning—Results are reported in the Centralized Reporting System, allowing districts to access data on TEKS alignment.

What Other Resources Are Available?

The following trainings are available in the Texas Assessment Program Learning Management System:

  • TFAR Overview
  • TFAR Authoring System