The Texas Senate has approved a major reform to the state’s standardized testing system, replacing the STAAR exam with a new series of shorter assessments designed to reduce classroom disruption and provide faster academic feedback.
The change is part of House Bill 8, authored by Rep. Brad Buckley (R) and sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R).
Under the new system, students will take three shorter tests during the school year, one at the beginning, one in the middle, and one at the end. Only the final exam will count toward school accountability scores.
The first two tests will measure student progress and help teachers identify learning gaps early. Schools must make the results available to students, parents, and educators within 48 hours.
Sen. Bettencourt called the reform “transformative,” saying it will allow real-time insights into student achievement without the high-pressure atmosphere of current STAAR exams.
“We’re replacing it with a transformative set of three tests, and that will transform Texas education for decades to come,” he said.
The current STAAR system has long faced criticism for consuming valuable instructional time and pressuring teachers to "teach to the test." Educators and parents alike have voiced concerns about how the high-stakes nature of STAAR impacts both classroom instruction and student well-being.
According to the legislation, the Texas Education Agency will develop the new assessment system and begin piloting it in select districts during the 2026–2027 school year, with full statewide implementation planned for 2027–2028.
The bill also reaffirms the A–F grading scale for schools and districts, a system designed to offer parents a clearer view of school performance. The accountability framework has been a point of debate and litigation since it was first introduced in 2017.
If successfully implemented, the new approach could mark a significant shift in how Texas evaluates student learning, focusing less on high-stakes testing and more on timely, actionable feedback throughout the year.
