Does my district need permission from the TEA to participate in STAAR interim assessments?

Permission or confirmation from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is NOT required. The assessment tool is free and open for any district or charter school to use at their discretion. STAAR interim assessments can be made optional for schools and teachers. Teachers who choose to administer these assessments, when not required by their district, are not subject to the twice-per-school year benchmark limitation.