Texas lawmakers approve overhaul of STAAR testing system

By Anthony Collins

LPR Editor

     The days of one high-stakes STAAR exam may soon be over in Texas. Lawmakers have passed House Bill 8, a measure that would replace the end-of-year test with three shorter, adaptive assessments spread throughout the school year. The bill now awaits Governor Greg Abbott’s signature, which would set the changes into motion beginning in the 2027–2028 school year.

     If signed, the reform would mark one of the most significant shifts in state education policy in decades. Instead of relying on a single test to measure academic performance, students would take exams at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Lawmakers argue this approach will allow teachers, parents, and administrators to monitor academic growth more closely while reducing the pressure traditionally associated with a single, high-stakes exam.

Despite these changes, the end-of-year assessment will continue to play a central role in determining statewide accountability ratings, meaning it will still carry significant weight for districts, campuses, and educators.

     Some education leaders, however, remain skeptical about whether the reforms will deliver the relief lawmakers have promised. Lockhart ISD Superintendent Mark Estrada said that while the move away from one large exam sounds positive, the reality may be more complicated.

     “House Bill 8 replaces one big STAAR exam with three separate tests spread throughout the year. While that may sound like less stress, it actually means students will face more testing overall. I’m underwhelmed because we still don’t know how student growth and progress will be measured across multiple assessments, or what these scores will really mean for teachers, families, and schools. There are some positive intentions here, but more testing doesn’t necessarily equal better learning. Until the state provides clear details on accountability and implementation, it feels like we’re trading one set of problems for another,” Estrada said.

     HB 8 also introduces several policy changes beyond restructuring the exams themselves. One key change is the elimination of the graduation requirement tied to the English II assessment, a hurdle many students and families have criticized for years. Additionally, the bill prohibits districts from administering local benchmark and practice tests, requiring schools to rely solely on the official state assessments developed by the Texas Education Agency. Lawmakers behind the measure said this provision is designed to prevent excessive test preparation and protect instructional time.

Even with these changes, scores from the three new assessments will still be used to calculate school accountability ratings under the state’s A–F grading system. That means districts will remain under pressure to perform, though the way those scores are weighted and interpreted has yet to be fully explained by state officials.

     The Texas Education Agency will now be responsible for developing the new adaptive exams and managing the transition. A pilot or beta phase is expected before the system fully launches in 2027–2028. In the meantime, Texas public schools will continue to administer the STAAR test as usual.

     House Bill 8 is nearly identical to a Senate measure filed earlier this year that failed to make it out of the House during a special legislative session. This time, however, the measure passed both chambers, signaling broad legislative support for a major shift in assessment strategy.

Governor Abbott is widely expected to sign the bill, paving the way for an entirely new testing era in Texas public schools, one that could reshape how teachers approach instruction, how students experience assessments, and how parents and communities judge school performance.