Replacing STAAR? Texas’ New Approach Offers Promise—but Not Without Questions

Al Felder
Sep 20, 2025
4 min read

In a long‑awaited move, Texas has signed into law House Bill 8, replacing the current STAAR exam (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) with three shorter standardized assessments per year (beginning, middle, and end), starting in the 2027‑28 school year.

On the surface, this seems like a win—an attempt to reduce the high‑stakes anxiety, give teachers more ongoing feedback, and reclaim instructional time. But as with any reform, the promise comes with caveats and real trade‑offs. Let’s dig into what this could mean—and what still needs to change.

What’s Changing

Here are the major shifts under HB 8:

The annual end‑of‑year STAAR tests are replaced with three shorter assessments spaced throughout the school year (beginning, middle, end) for most grades/subjects.
The first two (diagnostic) tests are meant to help teachers identify where students are struggling, so instruction can be adjusted in real time—not just after a single big test.
Graduation requirements shift: The English II exam requirement is removed, though some end‑of‑course exams remain in required subjects like Algebra, Biology, U.S. History.
Practice tests that mimic the STAAR can no longer be administered by teachers ahead of assessments, aiming to reduce “test prep fatigue.”
The accountability system (A‑F school grading) will still use test results, but with changes to how growth is measured across the new assessments; Texas Education Agency (TEA) will be required to define the growth metric, and report changes annually.

Why This Matters—What Looks Good

These changes align quite strongly with many of the values behind The Classroom Reclaimed platform:

Reduced High‑Stakes Pressure: One test can dominate instruction, behavior, and stress. Multiple smaller assessments spread throughout the year provide teachers and students with more opportunities to learn, adjust, and grow, rather than enduring a single moment of high pressure.
More Useful Feedback for Teachers & Families: Diagnostic tests give earlier signals. If teachers know where students struggle mid-year, they can adjust their teaching accordingly. If families see how their child is doing with time to act, they can support at home more effectively.
Potential for More Teacher Discretion & Agency: Removing or reducing some rigid STAAR requirements gives room for educators to adjust pacing and instruction better aligned with their students’ needs—not just preparing for one big year‑end exam.
Transparency & Oversight Built In: The law’s requirement that TEA announce accountability changes by July 15 each year, for example, adds clarity. Additionally, establishing a teacher-review committee of 40 classroom teachers to assist in reviewing test questions or test design introduces teacher voice.

But We Shouldn’t Be Cheerleading Just Yet

While the reforms are encouraging, several concerns remain—areas where the new plan must go further if it is to truly deliver:

More Testing, Not Less?: Although STAAR will be replaced, the total number of assessments might not shrink. With three tests plus existing end‑of‑course exams, plus state accountability implications, students and teachers still risk feeling tested out. Critics fear that the earlier tests add an instructional burden not present before.
Time & Resources for Teachers to Act on Diagnostic Data: It’s one thing to get diagnostic results; it's another to have resources (professional development, intervention materials, time) to actually respond. Without professional support or smaller class sizes, more data can mean more stress, not more growth.
Accountability Doesn’t Equal Punishment: Even with improved assessments, because results still feed into A‑F grades and school ratings, there’s risk that schools will still be penalized for things outside their control. Especially schools serving high‑need populations may struggle when metrics don’t perfectly adjust for socioeconomic factors.
Transparency & Trust: TEA still plays a central role, and some distrust exists in how benchmarks will be set. Teacher involvement committees are welcome, but stakeholders must be able to see how tests are built, scored, and how “growth” is defined and reported.

What Should Be Done to Make This Reform Real

To ensure this change is more than political posturing:

Ensure teacher input is central, not token: Classroom teachers must help design the new assessments, determine question types, pacing, and how results are used in practice—not just for accountability.
Protect instructional time: Remove mandates for excessive testing, benchmark multiples, or forced test prep drills. Let teaching be teaching, not test preparation.
Match accountability with support: For schools that show growth, provide additional resources; for those struggling, reduce penalties and invest in improvement support—not just sanctions.
Adjust A‑F and other ratings to emphasize growth over raw proficiency: Recognize where students start, what's improved, not just whether they “met” a cutoff.
Provide transparency & quick feedback: Quick turnaround on test results, clear diagnostic data parents and teachers can use immediately, not weeks later.

In Closing

Texas’ decision to replace STAAR with multiple, smaller assessments is a meaningful step in the right direction. It reflects many concerns that teachers, parents, and students have long voiced. Reducing high‑stakes pressure, increasing feedback loops, and giving teachers more voice are all aligned with what public education genuinely needs—real learning, not rote compliance.

But reform isn’t about swapping one test for another; it’s about building a system where assessment serves learning rather than dominating it. Where accountability doesn’t feel like punishment. Where teachers are empowered, not burdened. Where students aren’t defined by a single score.

If Texas gets this right, it can set an example for how to reform test culture without abandoning standards—and how to reclaim public education so that it serves students, not just pass rates.