Texas House Bill 8: Understanding the End of STAAR® and What’s Coming Next

Texas is about to experience its most significant change in student assessment in over a decade. With the signing of House Bill 8 (HB 8) into law in September 2025, STAAR® testing in grades 3–8 will be phased out and replaced with a new three-window assessment system starting in the 2027–28 school year. While the high-stakes STAAR® exam is going away in name, the need for rigorous, TEKS-aligned instruction and continuous progress monitoring remains more important than ever.

So what exactly is changing? What should educators expect? And how can schools prepare?

The Legislative Journey Behind HB 8

The path to passing HB 8 reflected the complexity and divisiveness of education policy in Texas. After an initial legislative attempt failed to reconcile differences between the House and Senate in June 2025, Governor Abbott called a special session in August to revive the conversation.

Key milestones in the legislative process:

• June 2, 2025: The regular session ends without agreement on a STAAR® replacement.
• August 15, 2025: A special session is called to revisit assessment reform.
• August 26–27, 2025: Both chambers pass HB 8 after extended debate.
• September 17, 2025: Governor Abbott signs the bill into law.
  

The new system will officially launch in the 2027–28 school year, giving educators two full years to prepare for the transition.

What Does HB 8 Change?

What’s Staying the Same

High school End-of-Course (EOC) exams are mostly unaffected. These assessments will continue under the current structure with the exception of English II. The graduating classes of 2026 and 2027 will still be required to take the English II STAAR® exam, but starting with the class of 2028, it will not be required. Beginning and middle of year exams will be optional for high school.

What’s Changing for Grades 3–8

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)
• End-of-Year (EOY) assessment (May, except for the writing portion of RLA assessments which will be done separately in April)
  

This approach reflects a growing preference for assessing growth over time rather than relying solely on a single, summative exam. The new tests are expected to be shorter and more frequent, with results required to be delivered to teachers within 48 hours. This rapid turnaround is designed to help educators act quickly on data to address learning gaps during the school year, not after.

One important note on this model is that only the beginning and middle of year assessment are adaptive assessments. The end of year assessment will not be adaptive and must remain static so that the released items are the same ones that students saw on the exam for transparency and comparison purposes.

Why the Change? The Push and Pull of Testing Reform

HB 8 was driven by concerns over the high-stakes nature of STAAR®, long testing sessions, delayed results, and questions about fairness and transparency in how schools are assessed.

But the debate was not about whether change was needed, it was about who should develop and oversee the new tests.

The Central Controversy: Who Builds the Tests?

A key sticking point during the legislative process was whether the state should develop its own tests or continue using third-party vendors.

• Some lawmakers, including HB 8 author Rep. Ken King, argued for state-developed assessments with educator input, asserting this approach would increase transparency and ensure tests better reflect classroom realities.
• Others, including Rep. Mary Ann Perez, raised concerns that if the Texas Education Agency (TEA) both develops the tests and determines accountability outcomes, it could create a conflict of interest, especially in districts where the state has the authority to take over underperforming schools.
  

The Final Compromise

HB 8 outlines a hybrid model:

• BOY and MOY assessments may be administered by approved third-party vendors.
• EOY assessments will be state-developed with educator involvement.
  

This compromise attempts to balance transparency, educator voice, and public trust, though some critics remain skeptical about the degree of independence in assessment oversight.

Supporters and Critics: What Each Side Is Saying

Supporters Highlight the Following Benefits:

• Reduced test anxiety: Moving away from a single, high-stakes exam should alleviate pressure on students.
• More instructional value: Ongoing assessment enables teachers to intervene earlier and support students throughout the year.
• Faster data: With 48-hour result turnaround, teachers can make timely decisions based on real student performance.
• Greater educator involvement: The promise of tests developed with teacher input has been well received.
• Improved transparency: New standards for TEA oversight aim to rebuild public trust in the accountability process.
  

Critics Raise Key Concerns:

• More testing, not less: Three shorter tests may still result in more time spent on assessment.
• Potential conflict of interest: TEA’s role as both test developer and accountability enforcer continues to worry some educators and lawmakers.
• Name change without real reform: Critics argue that this is a rebranding of STAAR®, not a fundamental shift in testing philosophy.
  

What Educators Need to Do Now

For High School Teachers

No immediate changes. Continue preparing students for EOCs using TEKS-aligned instruction and proven strategies for standards mastery. End of year exams will remain the only required exams, but beginning and middle of year exams will be optional at the high school level.

For Elementary and Middle School Teachers

Start preparing for a system built around growth, not just end-of-year performance.

Key instructional shifts:

• Prioritize progress monitoring: BOY and MOY assessments provide earlier insight into student learning. Use this data to adjust instruction and target interventions before gaps widen.
• Plan for intervention: Act on early data to support students who are not on track, especially in the first semester.
• Focus on standards mastery: With shorter, more frequent assessments, teachers will need to reinforce TEKS standards in smaller, more focused increments.
• Revise pacing: Consider how the three assessment windows impact instructional time, remediation planning, and curriculum mapping.
  

Many of these shifts align with best practices already in place: formative assessment, responsive instruction, and data-driven teaching. HB 8 simply makes them more urgent.

How Progress Learning Helps Texas Educators Adapt

Whether it’s STAAR® or the BOY/MOY/EOY structure, one thing remains constant: Texas students must demonstrate mastery of the TEKS standards. Progress Learning is built for exactly this.

Fully TEKS-Aligned Across All Grades and Subjects

Progress Learning offers comprehensive TEKS alignment in ELA, math, science, and social studies for grades K–12. Every item is designed to match the rigor and structure of Texas standards, ensuring students are preparing for what they’ll be assessed on—regardless of format.

Built for Growth Monitoring

With assessments across the year, progress monitoring becomes essential. Progress Learning provides:

• Custom and pre-built assessments aligned to specific TEKS
• Immediate results for real-time instructional decisions. In the new testing system, educators will receive results much more quickly (48 hours). Getting results quickly combined with Progress Learning’s ability quickly and easily assign remediation to students in one click can significantly streamline the process of helping students improve.
• Personalized study plans to target each student’s learning gaps
• Actionable reporting to track student growth and standard mastery
  

Adaptive Intervention Through Liftoff

For students who need support reaching grade level, Liftoff, our adaptive intervention tool for grades 2–8, delivers intensive support that accelerates progress. Liftoff uses built-in diagnostics or NWEA MAP RIT scores to generate targeted, personalized learning paths. This is especially valuable under HB 8, where early intervention following BOY assessments will be critical.

Preparing for 2027–28 and Beyond

HB 8 changes the structure of testing in Texas, but it doesn’t change the goal: helping all students reach grade-level proficiency and beyond.

As educators prepare for this shift, Progress Learning provides the comprehensive support needed to make the transition successful:

• TEKS-aligned content and assessments
• Tools for timely intervention and progress tracking
• Flexibility to adapt to new timelines and instructional demands
• Resources that support data-driven decision-making year-round
  

While the name STAAR® may disappear, the need for rigorous instruction, standards-based practice, and informed teaching decisions remains. Progress Learning is here to help you focus on what matters most: your students’ success.

Fill out the form below to see how Progress Learning can help support your school during the transition.