Will Texas get rid of STAAR?

Yes, the STAAR test is going away in Texas, replaced by a new three-test system starting in the 2027-28 school year, thanks to House Bill 8 signed by Governor Abbott in late 2025, which phases out the traditional STAAR in favor of shorter, more frequent assessments at the beginning, middle, and end of the year for grades 3-8.

Is Texas taking away the STAAR test?

House Bill 8 (HB 8), passed during the 89th Texas Legislature, 2nd Called Session (2025), and signed by Governor Abbott in September 2025, repeals and replaces the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) beginning with the 2027–28 school year.

Will Texas students take the STAAR test in 2026?

Yes, there will be STAAR tests in Texas during the 2025-2026 school year, but this will be the final year for the traditional STAAR format before new assessments are phased in starting in 2027-2028, following House Bill 8. The 2025-2026 year includes standard STAAR exams and optional interim assessments, with some procedural updates, but the fundamental structure remains until the new, shorter, through-year assessments begin in fall 2027.
 

Why should we get rid of the STAAR test?

This standardized test, like many others, has much more negative impacts than positive. The STAAR tests can disrupt student learning, affect the curriculum, constraining it to only the things needed for the test, and even the test itself is not always accurate.

Why are parents opting out of STAAR testing?

Opting out helps block the use of test results as weapons of destruction. Protect your child, a teacher, a school or a district from the harm of testing overuse and misuse. One parent opting out can protect her own child from test abuse.

Texas one step closer to getting rid of STAAR test

Do you legally have to take the STAAR test in Texas?

Who Is Tested? All students enrolled in Texas public schools and open-enrollment charter schools in grades 3–8 and specific high school courses are required by both federal and state law to participate in STAAR.

Why are people against STAAR testing?

The new law comes amid criticism that the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, creates too much stress for students and devotes too much instructional time to the test.

What are the cons of STAAR?

STAAR scores may hurt chance for college admission.

Because STAAR results are required to count for 15% of a student's grade, this single score may disproportionately impact a student's Grade Point Average and class rank – both critical factors in college admissions.

What country has no standardized testing?

Notably, Finland's education system excludes national standardized tests during basic education (grades 1-9), with teachers assessing progress based on curriculum objectives.

Has anybody got a 100 on the STAAR test?

Yes, many students have scored 100% on various sections of the STAAR test, especially in math, with news reports from multiple school districts highlighting individual students and even groups achieving perfect scores, though it remains a rare feat given the test's difficulty and recent trends in Texas education. These perfect scores often appear in local news stories celebrating students' hard work in districts like Harmony Public Schools, Fort Bend ISD, and McGregor ISD, demonstrating exceptional understanding of the material, say https://www.harmonytx.org/news/harmony-news/~board/south-texas-district-blog/post/13-students-score-100-on-the-staar-math-exam. 

Is STAAR only in TX?

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, commonly referred to as its acronym STAAR (/stɑːr/ STAR), is a series of standardized tests used in Texas public primary and secondary schools to assess a student's achievements and knowledge learned in the grade level.

Do Texas homeschoolers have to take the STAAR test?

Homeschoolers in Texas are not required to take the STAAR test, and they are exempt from all standardized testing. However, many homeschool families still opt to test their students periodically, as it is a great way to assess academic progress.

What will replace STAAR?

HB 8 removes the previous STAAR® exam for elementary and middle school students in grades 3–8 and replaces it with a three-window testing model: Beginning-of-Year (BOY) assessment (September) Middle-of-Year (MOY) assessment (January and February)

What if I fail STAAR?

TEC §28.0211 requires any student who does not receive a passing score on a STAAR assessment to receive accelerated instruction.

Did SB 13 pass in Texas?

Senate Bill (SB) 13, passed by the 89th Texas Legislature, adds new requirements related to a school district's library materials and catalog. These requirements include: Ensuring parents have access to the library catalog and can control which library materials their students can access.

Why do some smart people do poorly on standardized tests?

Overachieving students can be particularly susceptible to this problem because they feel like they have to get a top score in order to get into the best colleges. Feeling stressed or anxious while taking the test can cause you to make silly mistakes and forget information and strategies you've learned.

Do colleges check STAAR?

Yes, standardized test scores are typically reviewed during the college application process unless the college you've applied to has a test-optional policy.

Do STAAR scores matter?

STAAR scores are used as a metric for calculating school A-F ratings. STAAR scores are used as a metric for calculating district A-F ratings. Poor A-F ratings can trigger a takeover by the Texas Education Agency of a democratically elected school board.

What is the hardest exam ever?

17 toughest exams in the world

1. Gaokao. ...
2. Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced. ...
3. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) ...
4. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) ...
5. Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) ...
6. Master Sommelier Diploma Exam. ...
7. Mensa International.

Is the SAT racially biased?

It is important to mention though that College Board and ETS always defended SAT and on various occasions claimed that SAT was not a biased test. In their opinion the greater difference seen in the test scores between different minorities was mostly due to the economic disparity and class system.

Why should we get rid of standardized testing?

Standardized tests don't accurately measure student learning and growth. Unlike standardized tests, performance-based assessment allows students to choose how they show learning. Performance-based assessment is equitable, accurate, and engaging for students and teachers.

Is Texas getting rid of star testing?

Texas is replacing the STAAR test, starting in the 2027-2028 school year, with three shorter, more frequent assessments (Beginning, Middle, End of Year) under House Bill 8 (HB 8), moving away from the high-stakes end-of-year STAAR to provide quicker, more actionable data for teachers and students, though the "elimination" is more of a rebranding with new adaptive tests and a shift in focus, with the end-of-year test remaining for federal accountability. 

What does John D. Rockefeller have to do with school?

Rockefeller involvement in education was massive, primarily through the General Education Board (GEB), funding public schools (especially high schools in the South), establishing standards for medical education, supporting universities like the University of Chicago, and creating the International Education Board (IEB) for global science/ag research, alongside direct funding to many top universities and fostering institutions like the Rockefeller University, all aimed at improving US and global learning and development. 

Can I refuse my child to take the STAAR test in Texas?

No, Texas law does not permit a formal parental opt-out for STAAR tests; federal and state laws mandate participation for eligible public school students, but parents can keep children home, resulting in a score of zero or an absence, or temporarily remove them for moral/religious objections, though not specifically to avoid testing. While schools can't officially allow opting out, some families successfully use written refusal letters, potentially triggering "accelerated instruction" requirements or affecting school ratings, with some sources suggesting specific procedures for refusal.