Texas Legislature Buries Bill Aimed at Abolishing STAAR Test

A legislative initiative to eliminate the STAAR test, aimed at addressing mounting concerns over the stress it places on students, has ultimately faltered as the Texas legislative session drew to a close. House Bill 4, introduced by Rep. Brad Buckley, proposed to replace the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness with three shorter assessments administered throughout the academic year. Despite acknowledgments from both legislative chambers that the STAAR test should be discarded, a lack of agreement on desired outcomes for a replacement test and the A-F ratings system proved insurmountable, leading to a failure to reach a compromise before a crucial deadline. Differences emerged regarding the authority of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) commissioner and whether to maintain a required social studies test. The Senate and House diverged significantly, complicating negotiations as time dwindled. The Texas State Teachers Association expressed relief that no bill passed, highlighting concerns over excessive authority granted to an unelected commissioner.