Texas lawmakers have voted to abolish the STAAR test, long criticized as an ineffective burden on students and teachers. But the replacement plan may leave students with more tests—not fewer. House Bill 8, sponsored by Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Salado), has passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature and awaits final concurrence before heading to Governor Greg Abbott for signature.
Instead of one statewide test, HB 8 mandates three standardized tests each school year—one at the beginning, one in the middle, and one at the end. These new assessments, designed to support instruction and measure growth, will go into effect in the 2027–2028 school year. They will cover math, science, and social studies, along with federal requirements and revised end-of-course exams for high school students.
The bill also overhauls Texas’ public school accountability system, shifts authority from the elected State Board of Education to the unelected Texas Education Agency (TEA), and introduces a grant program to support local district accountability plans. The TEA, whose officials receive taxpayer-funded salaries in the hundreds of thousands, will gain expansive new powers under the bill.
While Republican leaders praised the bill as a victory over the STAAR test, some conservatives remain unconvinced. Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) opposed HB 8, arguing that it increases the frequency of mandatory tests and expands government spending. “It must be replaced with something that is better than STAAR,” he said, criticizing the bill’s nearly $60 million price tag and loss of local control.
Democrats also pushed back, warning that the bill will result in more time spent testing. Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin) said the bill adds testing hours, and Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) voiced concern that AI would be used to grade student work. The TEA confirmed the tests will use a hybrid model, combining automated scoring with human graders for at least 25% of responses.
Education watchdogs raised additional concerns. Republican policy advisor Alice Linahan warned that the new tests enable continuous access by outside vendors pushing equity-focused data collection. She cited testimony from The Education Trust, which advocated using the tests to track “achievement gaps” as a “civil rights tool.”
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick backed the reform effort, calling the STAAR test a “cumbersome one-size-fits-all assessment” that failed to measure real student learning. He said replacing it with a system that tracks student growth represents a win for students and parents.
Despite bipartisan criticism, the bill passed largely along party lines: 82–56 in the House and 21–5 in the Senate. If the House agrees to the Senate’s amendments, the bill will head to Governor Abbott’s desk, likely clearing the way for the biggest overhaul of Texas student testing in decades.
