Texas plans to discontinue the STAAR test by 2027, yet uncertainties linger among educators

The Texas legislature is poised to make a significant change in the state's educational assessment system, with House Bill 8 likely to be signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott. The bill, sponsored in the Senate by Republican state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, aims to increase academic accountability and assess students' skills throughout the year, rather than relying on an annual assessment.

Republican Rep. Brad Buckley, the author and House Education Chair of House Bill 8, believes that the measure focuses on what matters - student success. The bill replaces the annual assessment with three tests at the beginning, middle, and end of the year.

Some educators, including Sheila Walker, president of the local National Education Association, welcome the change towards less over-testing. However, Walker expresses cautious optimism and requests more details about the bill's implementation. She also voices concerns about potential hidden changes in House Bill 8.

Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, on the other hand, opposes House Bill 8. She urges Governor Abbott to veto the bill, stating that it doesn't deliver on its promise of shorter, lower-stress tests, and instead triples the number of tests students need to take. Hinojosa expresses concerns about a culture of teaching to high-stakes tests throughout the year with the implementation of House Bill 8.

Bettencourt, in response, states that House Bill 8 will restore classroom time, end wasteful lawsuits, and prepare Texas students for real-world achievement. He also mentions that Buckley and other supporters had previously tried to push similar legislation through during the regular session, but were unsuccessful.

For updates and insights on this developing story, KERA's education reporter, Bill Zeeble, can be contacted at [email protected] or followed on Twitter. KERA News, a non-profit organisation, encourages tax-deductible gifts from its supporters to continue providing quality news coverage.

Interestingly, the author of the law that aims to end the STAAR exam in Texas by 2027 is State Senator Roland Gutierrez. The law was sponsored in the Senate by the Texas Senate Education Committee. It remains to be seen how these two pieces of legislation will shape the future of education in Texas.

Texas plans to discontinue the STAAR test by 2027, yet uncertainties linger among educators