On Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law House Bill 8, legislation that will replace the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) with three shorter standardized tests spread throughout the school year.
The change is set to begin in the 2027–28 school year, marking the end of a testing system that has faced criticism from teachers, families, and students for more than a decade. STAAR, first introduced in 2011, has long been accused of putting outsized pressure on students, narrowing classroom instruction, and leaving educators with little flexibility.
“This ends the high stakes and high stress nature of one test, one day,” said Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Killeen, who authored the bill. “House Bill 8 is unprecedented oversight of the assessment and accountability system by this body.”
Why STAAR Is Ending
Frustration with STAAR has been building for years. Parents have argued that one exam at the end of the year unfairly measures students’ abilities and creates anxiety that can overshadow months of classroom learning. Teachers have said the test drives them to “teach to the test” rather than adapt lessons to their students’ needs.
Legislators have attempted twice before to scrap STAAR, but those efforts collapsed amid disagreements between the Texas House and Senate. Earlier this year, Democrats temporarily blocked action by leaving the state during a fight over redistricting. When they returned in August, negotiations resumed, paving the way for HB 8.
This time, lawmakers on both sides found common ground in a testing model that spreads assessments across the school year rather than concentrating all stakes in one day.
What’s Changing
Three shorter tests instead of one
Starting in 2027, students will take standardized tests at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. The goal is to reduce the stress of a single, high-pressure exam while providing more consistent feedback on student learning.
Some schools that already administer nationally recognized assessments may be allowed to count those tests toward the beginning and middle of the year requirements, though the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has not yet clarified which exams will qualify.
Faster results for families
Unlike STAAR results, which often take weeks to be released, the new system promises to return scores within about two days. Families will receive percentile rankings comparing their child’s performance with classmates, along with the familiar “approaches, meets, or masters grade level” labels on the end-of-year test.
Ban on practice exams
HB 8 prohibits practice tests, which many teachers say consume weeks of classroom time without improving outcomes. TEA estimates this change alone could restore 15 to 30 hours of instruction per student each year.
Graduation requirements eased
High school students will no longer need to pass the English II exam to graduate. They will still need to pass English I, Algebra, and Biology tests, along with U.S. History. Lawmakers framed the change as a meaningful step toward reducing testing burdens while maintaining standards.
Accountability system updates
Schools in Texas receive A–F ratings based largely on standardized test scores. Under HB 8, the TEA must create a new way of measuring student growth over the three tests. That progress measure will factor into school ratings, though experts say the details of how it will work are still unclear.
The law also sets limits on how often TEA can change grading benchmarks, requiring updates no more than once every five years and mandating that schools receive notice of changes by mid-July before a new school year.
Why Supporters Back It
Supporters of HB 8 see the reform as a more humane and useful approach to assessment. By testing multiple times a year, they argue, teachers can get a clearer picture of where students are struggling and adjust instruction accordingly.
“Parents will finally get information in real time, not months after the fact,” said David Osman, an independent auditor of standardized testing. “This is a much better use of testing as a tool for teaching rather than punishment.”
Many school accountability experts agree. They argue that three shorter tests could balance the need to measure progress with the need to reduce pressure on children.
Why Critics Remain Skeptical
Not everyone is convinced the new system will fix the underlying problems. Some lawmakers say that while HB 8 removes one stress point, it adds others.
“This bill was supposed to be the win for our public schools and for our kids,” said Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin. “This is no win. This is a terrible bill … I can’t even believe it’s made it this far.”
Hinojosa criticized concessions made to the Senate, including the decision to keep social studies testing in eighth grade and U.S. history testing in high school. She also voiced concerns about TEA’s continued role in shaping assessments despite widespread distrust of the agency among educators.
Other critics question whether testing three times a year might actually increase pressure, particularly if results are tied to school accountability ratings and teacher evaluations.
The Role of TEA and Teachers
A major sticking point in negotiations was the role of the Texas Education Agency. While the TEA will design the end-of-year exam, a committee of 40 classroom teachers will review test questions to ensure fairness and rigor.
Buckley argued that the teacher committee is a safeguard against the kind of disconnect that has plagued STAAR. But skeptics worry that TEA’s influence will still dominate.
Implications for Schools
HB 8 carries significant implications for Texas schools. Since test scores heavily influence school ratings, and low ratings can trigger state intervention, districts will be watching closely how TEA designs the new growth metric.
The stakes are high: poor ratings can lead to forced campus closures or even replacement of locally elected school boards by state-appointed managers.
Beyond testing, HB 8 directs TEA to begin tracking additional factors such as pre-K enrollment, extracurricular participation, and workforce training in middle schools. However, these will not affect school ratings, at least for now.
What Happens Next
The transition away from STAAR will not be immediate. Over the next three years, TEA must design the new tests, clarify which national assessments can be substituted, and establish a growth metric for school accountability.
Pilot testing and feedback from educators are expected to shape the rollout. By the 2027–28 school year, every public school student in Texas will be taking the new exams.
In the meantime, STAAR remains in place.
The Bigger Picture
Texas has long been a leader in high-stakes testing. The state’s earlier exam systems, like TAAS and TAKS, influenced federal education policies such as No Child Left Behind. With HB 8, Texas is once again charting new territory—this time in scaling back the dominance of a single end-of-year exam.
Whether the reform will ease stress for students and restore instructional flexibility, or simply repackage standardized testing in a new form, remains to be seen.
For now, many parents and teachers are cautiously hopeful.
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