Video & Transcript Research : 'STAAR'

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TX

Texas 89th Regular

Public Education Aug 21st, 2025

Public Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • One STAAR test, we are now going to three, and the reason why I'm still calling it a STAAR test is because
  • And so, do you wish that the end-of-the-year test, the STAAR test, was shorter?
  • Why does she feel that when she takes the STAAR test?
  • House passed a bill that eliminated the STAAR test.
  • At first, House Bill 8 might actually reduce STAAR testing.
Bills: HB8
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Public Education Aug 21st, 2025

Public Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • And you can see the change, whereas the STAAR is not.
  • But, I mean, it doesn't get rid of STAAR.
  • Did we get rid of the STAAR test?
  • On STAAR, or even if we don't call it STAAR, how a student does academically—that's often out of the
  • They have an easier STAAR test because of it.
Bills: HB8
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Public Education Aug 21st, 2025

Public Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Instead of one STAAR test, we now are going to three.
  • “One, the bill requires the STAAR test to be stopped.
  • The STAAR tests...
  • Why does she feel that when she takes the STAAR test?
  • STAAR does not.
Bills: HB8
Summary: The House Committee on Public Education met to hear House Bill 8, which would replace STAAR with a new assessment and accountability system beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The chair described the bill as reducing testing time, limiting benchmark tests, adding beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year assessments, requiring faster score turnaround, involving Texas teachers in test development, and tightening accountability timelines and transparency rules. Members also discussed provisions on A-F ratings, cut scores, CCMR, local accountability plans, and TEA reporting requirements. Committee members and invited witnesses split sharply on the bill’s approach. Supporters, including the chair, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, and Ed Trust’s Nicholas Munyon Penny, argued the bill would reduce high-stakes pressure, provide quicker and more actionable data, limit over-testing, and better align assessments to Texas standards while preserving criterion-referenced accountability. They said the new system would help teachers and parents intervene sooner and would improve transparency, including parent access to student responses and automatic rescoring in some writing cases. Opponents, including Rep. Hinojosa and student witness Ella Moran, argued the bill still increases testing and replaces one high-stakes test with multiple TEA-created tests. Moran testified that STAAR creates anxiety, disrupts instruction, and does not reflect real learning, while Hinojosa said the House had previously passed a better bill based on a nationally norm-referenced model and criticized the new proposal as a concession to the Senate. Questions also focused on AI scoring of writing, rescoring rates, and whether the bill’s new accountability rules would be reliable and fair. The committee did not take a final vote during the portion provided, but the chair said a vote on HB 8 would be called after public testimony later in the day.
TX
Bills: SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, SB1, HB4
Summary: The Senate briefly convened and received a message from the House stating that the House was taking a vote. No bills, motions, or substantive policy matters were discussed in the exchange. Pursuant to a previously adopted motion, the Senate then adjourned until 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 21.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • That creativity, that exploration, is not what is measured in the STAAR test.
  • Instead of saying the STAAR test isn't working... Let's do more of it.
  • Then in the second semester, we practiced for STAAR, which I think is really good.
  • I'm going to say that the STAAR is simply a bad test for students.
  • Whenever I first took my STAAR test, I remember my teacher telling us, "Do well.
Summary: The committee meeting focused on the impacts of House Bill 8, which proposes increasing the frequency of state testing for students in Texas. During the meeting, various testimonies were provided by students, highlighting their concerns about the negative effects of standardized testing on their educational experience. Students expressed that the pressure of multiple assessments causes significant stress and detracts from the joy of learning. Some lawmakers voiced their opposition to the bill, emphasizing the need for a thorough review and consideration of alternative evaluation methods that prioritize student well-being over testing metrics.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • So we still will have those three STAAR exams.
  • That's the STAAR test. Ms.
  • Are we on track for STAAR? They're not high pressured.
  • The STAAR test is the problem. When kids take the STAAR test, their campus almost goes on lockdown.
  • First, they're not STAAR, but second, they do not have to.
Bills: HB8, HB12, SB 3, HJR1, SB 11, SB 16, SB 14
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • ...frustration with the STAAR test, then you would be for this bill.
  • When kids take the STAAR test, their campus almost goes on lockdown.
  • First, they're not STAAR tests, but second, they do not have to.
  • -created STAAR test, and rather than eliminate the STAAR.
  • It's big, dealing with accountability and the STAAR test.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Education K-16 (Part II) May 22nd, 2025

Education K-16

Transcript Highlights:
  • We're getting rid of the STAAR test.
  • The way that we do this is through diagnostic instruments like the STAAR exam.
  • They have had plenty of frustrations with STAAR.
  • We spend on average at Cushing ISD 18 days prepping for or giving the STAAR test.
  • As my 16-year-old son Levi said yesterday about STAAR, 'I don't think it makes sense.
Bills: HB4, HB20
Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2853, which would allow the UT System Board of Regents to adjust the University of Texas at El Paso student union fee above the current statutory cap, subject to student approval, to help fund a new student union building. Senator Blanco explained the bill and the committee substitute, there were no questions or witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then heard House Bill 610, which would limit severance payments for terminated independent school district superintendents to six months’ salary and benefits. Senator Paxton described large severance payouts and said the bill had passed the House overwhelmingly. There were no witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the bill was left pending. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 4623, which would waive school district immunity in certain cases involving negligent hiring, supervision, or employment of professional school employees who commit abuse or related misconduct against students. Senator Paxton and several witnesses, including survivors and parents, argued the bill was needed to address cover-ups, delayed reporting, and repeated failures to remove dangerous employees; some members raised concerns about liability caps, litigation, and how the bill would interact with the Tort Claims Act. The committee also heard from TEA staff and employee-group witnesses who discussed possible injunctions and stronger no-hire protections. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4, an accountability and assessment bill that would restore A-F ratings, change the state testing system, and replace STAAR with shorter, more instructionally useful assessments. Senator Bettencourt explained the committee substitute, including annual ratings, limits on taxpayer-funded lawsuits, and a phased-in testing redesign with beginning, middle, and end-of-year assessments. Testimony was generally supportive from education and business groups, though some witnesses favored norm-referenced testing while others emphasized criterion-referenced, TEKS-aligned assessments; one witness noted social studies assessments were restored in the bill. The hearing concluded with additional invited testimony and no final vote reported in the transcript.