3 new exams would replace STAAR under bill passed by Texas House

House Bill to replace STAAR passed by Texas House

After passing the House on a party-line vote, House Bill 8 would replace the end-of-year STAAR test with three shorter exams administered throughout the school year.

Today, House Bill 8 passed a party-line vote in the house after hours of debate.

The bill would scrap the end-of-year STAAR test and replace it with three exams. One in October, a second in January, and then the third in the spring.

What we know:

On Tuesday, the Texas House voted to eliminate end-of-the-year STAAR testing in public schools.

It would be replaced with three shorter exams throughout the year created and administered by the Texas Education Agency.

House Bill 8's author, Republican Representative Brad Buckley, says this new system would decrease the high-stakes environment of the annual multi-day annual STAAR exams in the Spring.

The results of the exams will come back within 48 hours for instant feedback to teachers and parents.

"Members our system is in need of reform. We are in a position where districts see our school accountability ratings as broken," said State Rep. Brad Buckley.

Buckley also says some Texas school districts are spending time giving students more than a dozen benchmark tests to prepare for the STAAR.

This bill would ban those practice tests. 

The other side:

However, Democrats pushed back on Tuesday.

"Look, if this bill was limiting the amounts of tests that districts put on kids, then I would be all for it," said State Rep. Gina Hinojosa.

"It is. It does do that. It bans those additional benchmarks," Buckley responded.

"But that is not all it does, it has now added state-mandated testing days," replied Hinojosa.

"Just like House Bill 4. It’s the same schedule. It is Representative Hinojosa. It just is," said Buckley.

Democrat Representative Gina Hinojosa, who has been outspoken since the beginning, also tried to add an amendment today to remove the TEA’s role in writing these tests, but it didn’t stick.

"I urge you to not give more power to the Texas Education Agency to create, yet, more tests," she said.

Dig deeper:

Democrat representative Diego Bernal also tried unsuccessfully to push back the vote.

"This bill is too big. No one on the floor understands it. If you do, you are one of three people," said Bernal.

What's next:

Governor Greg Abbott has previously said that nixing the end of the year STAAR test is one of his priorities. The house bill now heads to the Texas Senate. If passed and signed by Governor Greg Abbott, the tests would start in the 2027-2028 school year.