AUSTIN, Texas — Texas lawmakers have taken the first steps in eliminating Texas’ standardized testing. The Texas House gave an almost unanimous initial approval of House Bill 4 that would get rid of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test, or STAAR, on Monday. 

The STAAR test is a standardized test administered in Texas public schools. It is used to evaluate student and teacher performances and assess the state’s accountability ratings, rated on an A-F scale. Poor scores could result in state sanctions such as a state takeover, which Houston ISD saw in 2023.

HB4 would replace the STAAR test.

The Texas Senate passed a similar bill last month. Both the Texas Senate and the Texas House want to remove the STAAR test with lawmakers claiming the test “leads to anxiety in our classrooms” for teachers and is rigorous for students. HB4 proposes shorter tests to allow for more instruction time and change how students are graded.

The bill still needs to pass in the Texas Senate before heading to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. If passed, the pressure would be on the Texas Education Agency to provide new tests as early as this fall.