The bill, which would replace the widely criticized, high-stakes test by the 2027-28 school year, now heads to the Senate.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas House on Tuesday approved a bill that would replace the state’s STAAR exam with a series of three tests administered over the course of the school year.
House Bill 8 would eliminate the STAAR as an end-of-year exam beginning in the 2027-28 school year. In its place, students would take assessments at the beginning, middle and end of the academic year. Results would be returned within 48 hours.
Supporters say the change will reduce pressure on students by ending the high-stakes nature of a single standardized test, which has been in place since 2012.
“This bill addresses every single point districts raised in their lawsuits against the state,” said Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, who authored the bill. “It offers other important changes to assessment and accountability that were brought to me by teachers, district leaders, parents and members on this floor.”
Some Democrats expressed concern about the scope of the 61-page bill, questioning whether it includes too much testing or other overlooked changes.
Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, argued that a commission should be formed to develop a new accountability system rather than approving the measure during the session.
“There’s no reason to rush this,” Bernal said during floor debate. “There’s no gun to our head. We’ve got a runway to get it done.”
Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, successfully added an amendment to limit testing to only the subjects required under federal law.
The bill passed 82-56, largely along party lines, and now heads to the Senate.
During the regular session, the House and Senate were unable to agree on a plan to eliminate the STAAR exam.