On Monday, Texas lawmakers will return to Austin for a special session of the 89th Legislature, as required by Gov. Greg Abbott’s formal call on July 12. Among the issues listed in the governor’s proclamation are improving flood warning systems, cutting property taxes, regulating hemp-derived products, and, most controversially, drawing new congressional districts at the request of President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice.
While the session is expected to remain focused on a narrow set of topics, the governor’s call includes language that opens the door to debates over public education. Of note, Abbott called for “legislation to eliminate the STAAR test and replace it with effective tools to assess student progress and ensure school district accountability.”
What Happened During the 89th Regular Legislative Session?
The push to revisit STAAR testing follows a legislative session marked by intense debate over school funding and accountability, much of which came to a head in the final weeks of May. Lawmakers considered House Bill 4 by Rep. Brad Buckley, which aimed to replace the STAAR test in the next school year, but that bill died in the closing days of the regular session. HB 4 would have replaced STAAR with three shorter tests (beginning, mid-year, and end-of-year) that would deliver results quickly throughout the school year, allowing for the measurement of student growth and progress. After amendments, the bill also added some guardrails on the Texas Education Agency commissioner’s authority to modify and implement performance levels and indicators in the state accountability system.
While the bill moved through the Legislature, Texas AFT maintained cautious support. While the move away from a single summative assessment, such as STAAR, is a step forward, we are concerned about implementation details, the lack of educator input, and the continued high-stakes consequences for schools. The House and Senate passed substantially different versions, and the House refused to concur with the Senate’s changes. A conference committee was established with members from both chambers, and Texas AFT delivered letters outlining priorities from our members for the negotiations.
Where Do Things Stand for This Special Session?
As legislators begin this special session, they will have 30 days to address all of the governor’s priorities. Rep. Brooks Landgraf has introduced House Bill 92, which addresses the elimination of the STAAR.
This bill would eliminate specific state-mandated assessments not required by federal law, including social studies and some end-of-course exams. The bill limits testing to core subjects, such as reading, math, and science, in grades and subjects explicitly required under the Every Student Succeeds Act. HB 92 also allows college-preparatory course benchmarks to substitute for some end-of-course exams and requires the State Board of Education to reduce assessments further if federal law changes. Adoption of HB 92 would trigger these changes for the 2025-26 school year.
“It’s a much more accurate and more cost-effective assessment that you take at the beginning of the year for a few hours on one day,” Landgraf said at the Texas Legislative Wrap-up in June. “(Educators would) use that as a benchmark, then in the middle of the year, they see how well the student has progressed. And then you have an end-of-course exam that measures that.”
Here are some other pre-filed bills we’re watching that may end up having an impact on educators as the bills move through committees and amendments are added:
- HB 68 by Rep. Mick Olcott would require a three-fifths majority vote in order to approve a school bond election
- HB 82 by Rep. John Bucy would shift school finance formulas to be based on average enrollment rather than average daily attendance
- HB 87 by Rep. Hillary Hickland would prohibit a district from using public funds to hire a lobbyist or pay an organization that lobbies the Legislature. It would also prohibit using public funds or district resources to communicate with a member of the Legislature.
There are also several bills related to the calculation and use of local taxes for the funding of public schools.
What Now?
Regardless of how the session unfolds, Texas AFT will continue to monitor legislation that could impact public education, school employees, and students. Future editions of the Hotline will include updates as bills move through the process.