Texas is replacing the STAAR test with the Student Success Tool (SST) under House Bill 8 — three shorter tests across the year instead of one big spring exam, starting 2027-28. Here's what's confirmed, in plain English.
Last reviewed June 2026 against Texas Education Agency sources · Updated as TEA publishes new details
The Student Success Tool (SST) is the statutory name for the new Texas assessment that replaces STAAR. Created by House Bill 8 (signed September 17, 2025), it swaps one high-stakes spring test for a through-year model — three shorter checks spread across the school year. It covers grades 3-8 (and Spanish grades 3-5) and stays aligned to Texas's own TEKS standards. The goal: give teachers useful results during the year instead of one score that arrives after the year is over.
Source: TEA — Overview of House Bill 8
A check near the start of the school year to see where each student stands.
A mid-year check to measure growth and flag students who need support.
The end-of-year measure — its results return to schools within 48 hours.
Together, these three windows replace STAAR's single spring test. Schools use the TEA-provided end-of-year assessment, and its results come back within 48 hours.
Source: TEA — HB 8 FAQs (October 2025)
Students take the current STAAR test. Nothing changes this year.
The last full year of STAAR. The final STAAR administration is spring 2027.
Students take the new three-test SST for the first time, replacing STAAR.
| STAAR (now) | Student Success Tool (2027-28) | |
|---|---|---|
| How often students test | One big test in spring | Three shorter tests across the year (BOY, MOY, EOY) |
| How fast results come back | Weeks to months | End-of-year results within 48 hours |
| Grades & subjects | Grades 3-8 (math, reading, plus science & social studies in some grades) | Grades 3-8 and Spanish grades 3-5 |
| Standards | TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) | TEKS — Texas keeps its own standards |
| High-school English II exam | English II end-of-course test given | English II end-of-course test eliminated |
| First year in effect | Through the 2026-27 school year | Starting the 2027-28 school year |
Source: TEA — Overview of House Bill 8
Under HB 8, end-of-year results return to schools within 48 hours — so families and teachers see how a student did almost immediately, instead of waiting weeks or months as with STAAR.
Source: TEA — HB 8 FAQs (October 2025)
HB 8 eliminates the English II end-of-course exam. Texas also keeps its own TEKS standards — the SST measures the same content standards as STAAR, so what kids are expected to learn doesn't change.
If your child is in grades 3-8, here's the honest, no-panic version — what actually changes, what doesn't, and what to do about it.
STAAR is still the real, high-stakes test for spring 2026 and 2026-27. Keep preparing for STAAR exactly as you would now — the Student Success Tool does not start until the 2027-28 school year.
Both STAAR and the new test measure the same TEKS standards. Helping your child master grade-level reading, writing, and math prepares them for STAAR now and the Student Success Tool later. The skills are what matter, not the test name.
By law, the new test’s scoring must be set at an equivalent level of rigor to STAAR, keeping the same four levels (Masters, Meets, Approaches, Did Not Meet). Anyone telling you it will be "easier" or "harder" is guessing — TEA hasn’t said either.
Under HB 8, results return to schools within two business days of a testing window closing, and parents are notified each time scores are available through the Texas Assessment Family Portal. The goal is to catch gaps during the year, not after it.
HB 8 keeps the A-F accountability system, and the new test still feeds school ratings. The change is in how and how often students test — not in whether the results matter.
Source: TEA — HB 8 FAQs (October 2025)
Some details are still being finalized. As of June 2026, the Texas Education Agency has not released the SST's cut scores, performance levels, or full test-format specifics. We'll update this page as those are published — and we only post what TEA has officially confirmed.
Check for the latest directly from TEA: TEA — HB 8 FAQs (October 2025).
STAAR is being replaced by the Student Success Tool (SST), a new Texas assessment created under House Bill 8. Instead of one big end-of-year test, the SST uses three shorter tests across the school year — beginning, middle, and end of year.
The Student Success Tool (SST) is the statutory name for the assessment that replaces STAAR in Texas under HB 8. It is a through-year system: three checks per year for grades 3-8 (and Spanish grades 3-5), aligned to the same TEKS standards Texas already uses.
Yes. House Bill 8, signed September 17, 2025, replaces STAAR with the Student Success Tool starting the 2027-28 school year. STAAR continues through 2025-26 and 2026-27, with the final STAAR administration in spring 2027.
HB 8 is the Texas law (passed in the 89th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, and signed September 17, 2025) that repeals and replaces STAAR with the Student Success Tool, sets up the three-test through-year model, speeds up score returns, and eliminates the English II end-of-course exam. Note: HB 8 is the law that passed — an earlier bill, HB 4, did not become law.
The biggest difference is timing: STAAR is one high-stakes spring test, while the SST spreads testing across three shorter windows (BOY, MOY, EOY) so teachers see results during the year. End-of-year results return within 48 hours, and the English II end-of-course exam is eliminated. Both stay aligned to the TEKS standards.
The SST covers grades 3-8, plus Spanish for grades 3-5 — the same grade band STAAR covered.
Yes. Texas keeps its own TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) standards. The SST measures the same standards STAAR did — the change is in how and how often students are tested, not the curriculum standards.
Not yet. As of now, the Texas Education Agency has not released SST cut scores, performance levels, or full test-format details. Those are expected ahead of the 2027-28 rollout. This page will be updated as TEA publishes them.
Officially, neither harder nor easier. By law (TEC §39.02301(f)), the SST's performance standards must be set at an equivalent level of rigor to STAAR, and it keeps the same four levels — Masters, Meets, Approaches, and Did Not Meet. TEA has not said the test will be harder or easier; anyone claiming so is guessing. (Note: a separate 2028 increase to A-F accountability cut scores affects school ratings, not how hard the student test is.)
Yes. STAAR is still the real, high-stakes test for spring 2026 and the 2026-27 school year — it still counts toward school A-F ratings and accountability. The Student Success Tool does not begin until 2027-28, so nothing changes for this year. Keep preparing for STAAR as usual.
Yes. Both STAAR and the Student Success Tool measure the same TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) standards. So helping your child master grade-level TEKS — the actual reading, writing, and math skills — prepares them for STAAR now and the SST later. The standards are the constant; only the test format changes.
Not necessarily. Each Student Success Tool test is shorter than STAAR, but there are now three of them instead of one, so total testing time may be spread out rather than reduced — and the number of mandated assessments actually rises. The Legislature’s stated goal is to ease single-test pressure and track growth across the year, with results returned to schools within two business days. Whether total testing time drops is not yet confirmed.
Yes. HB 8 keeps the A-F accountability system, and the new assessment still feeds into school ratings. Low ratings can still trigger state sanctions, including school closure or state intervention. The change is in how students are tested, not in whether the results matter for schools.
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