Posted By: Leanna

I recently received a job offer for the TX STAAR Summer 2026 Grade 9–12 History scoring project with Pearson, and I honestly had a few questions before training starts. I figured I’d ask here because I know a lot of people in this forum have experience with Pearson scoring projects and state assessments.

My biggest question is about the training process itself. Is the training mostly self-paced, or do you have to be actively on Microsoft Teams the entire time with supervisors and managers? I’m trying to mentally prepare myself because I deal with pretty bad social anxiety, especially when it comes to video meetings or speaking up in group settings. 😅

I can handle written communication and following instructions just fine, but the idea of being put on the spot in live meetings honestly makes me nervous. I know some remote jobs require cameras on, breakout rooms, or reading responses out loud during calibration sessions, and I’m hoping this project is a little more relaxed than that.

I also wanted to ask how strict Pearson is during training. Do they guide you through everything step by step, or do they kind of throw you into it and expect you to immediately understand the rubric? I’ve heard mixed things online. Some people say the training is easy once you get used to the scoring system, while others say the calibration and qualifying can be stressful.

The reason I’m asking is because I really do need this job right now, so backing out isn’t really an option for me. I just want to know what to expect beforehand so I don’t walk in completely overwhelmed on day one. I actually enjoy history and grading written responses, so I’m hoping once I settle in, it’ll be something I can manage.

If anyone here has worked TX STAAR projects before, especially History or English-related scoring, I’d really appreciate hearing your honest experience with the training process, Teams meetings, supervisors, and overall work environment. Even small details would help calm my nerves a little. 🙏