According to the Texas governor’s office, Governor Greg Abbott will sign House Bill 8 (HB 8), which will change the way public school students in Texas are tested starting in the 2027-2028 school year. HB 8 passed during the Texas 89th Legislature Special Session #2 and was sent to the governor’s desk for signing on September 4.
The initiative to eliminate the current State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test was a bipartisan effort; however, disagreements over its replacement led to a divide between Democrats and Republicans in the Texas House and Senate, resulting in a party-line vote. In the Lower Chamber, the vote was 82 in favor and 56 against, while in the Upper Chamber, it passed with 21 votes in favor and five against, with four members absent. The five senators who opposed HB 8 are Democrats Carol Alvarado, Molly Cook, Roland Gutierrez, Nathan Johnson, and Judith Zaffirini.
For years, many educators and administrators have lobbied the Texas legislature to modify standardized assessments to better reflect student progress throughout the school year. Although the state currently mandates a single end-of-year exam, many school districts have already adopted “benchmark testing” for their students.
“Texas is on a pathway to becoming number one in education, which requires a strong accountability system,” said Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesman for the governor’s office, in a statement. “HB 8 replaces the outdated STAAR test with more modernized testing strategies that prioritize learning over testing and more effectively measure student progress. The Governor looks forward to signing this legislation when it reaches his desk.”
Students in grades 3 through 8 will continue to take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test for the next two school years. Beginning in the fall of 2027, schools will implement a new three-test assessment system designed to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of student progress. This system will consist of a Beginning-of-Year test (BOY), a Middle-of-Year test (MOY), and an End-of-Year test (EOY).
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is tasked with the development and administration of the EOY test, ensuring that it aligns with state educational standards. However, school districts will have the flexibility to choose an approved assessment from a list of alternatives for the BOY and MOY tests. Despite this flexibility, districts are required to administer the TEA-created EOY test, which serves as the final assessment for the academic year.
To facilitate timely feedback, test results must be reported within 48 hours after each examination. This rapid turnaround is intended to keep parents and educators informed about students’ academic performance and areas that may require additional support or intervention.
Brownfield ISD Superintendent Chris Smith is pleased with the new law, saying, “BISD has been doing these types of assessments for years. We use the NWEA platform, which is one of them in contention for the state contract. I also think the opportunity to get quick feedback and adjust instruction is a good thing. We expect BISD to transition very well.”
The outcomes of these assessments will play a critical role in determining the annual performance ratings assigned to school districts. A significant enhancement to the current evaluation system is the introduction of a through-year indicator. Previously, the grading system focused solely on a student’s comparison of scores from one academic year to the next. Under the new framework, schools will monitor student progress over the entire academic year by analyzing the scores from all three assessments—BOY, MOY, and EOY.
In recognition of the potential impacts of this new indicator, lawmakers have incorporated a provision that permits adjustments to be made if the through-year indicator adversely affects the final grades assigned to schools. This stipulation allows for a more adaptive grading approach that prioritizes student success.
Smith also went on to say, “Getting rid of the STAAR is long overdue. One-time high-stakes testing isn’t conducive to measuring performance and achievement in all students.”
Additionally, the TEA is mandated to compile and deliver a detailed report evaluating the influence of through-year indicators on the final A-F grading system for schools. This report is expected to be submitted by March 2029, providing critical insights into the effectiveness of the new assessment model and its implications for educational accountability and student learning outcomes.
