STARR Exam: Texas School Districts Call For End To High-Stakes Testing

State assessment exams are always a drag, but imagine being told that they were going to be made even more challenging! In Texas, a new and much more strict state test may be given to students in elementary, middle, and high school. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STARR, may end up being the determining factor for whether a student will pass a course or not. Starting next year, fifth and eighth grade students will have to pass the reading and math STARR exams to move on to the next grade, and high school students must also pass in order to graduate. Districts across the state have expressed criticism for the standardized tests, which they say are "strangling our public schools."

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released practice sets for students to take advantage of prior to the exam. And we'll just say this: it's no walk in the park. Some of these tough questions could put even a college-educated adult's academic skills to the test.

So we're wondering -- would your answers to these questions get you into to the ninth grade? Test your knowledge with the questions below!