PRESS RELEASE
TEA Releases Spring 2026 STAAR® Results for Grades 3–8
AUSTIN, Texas – June 16, 2026 – The Texas Education Agency (TEA) today released Spring 2026 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) results for students in grades 3–8. The results show gains in social studies and math, while reading results remain largely steady.
In addition to releasing results statewide, individual STAAR score reports are now available to parents through their local school district’s family portal or by visiting TexasAssessment.gov using the unique access code provided by their child’s school.
“The 2026 results demonstrate both the progress Texas students are making and the work that remains ahead of us. We are encouraged by continued gains in mathematics, especially with the growing number of students participating and succeeding in advanced mathematics courses. The gains in middle school reading are also notable, as it may be associated with the statewide ban on the use of cell phones in schools,” said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.
Reading language arts (RLA) performance remained stable or improved across nearly all grade levels. Grade 8 RLA performance increased by three percentage points from the previous year, while Grade 7 improved by two percentage points. Grades 4, 5 and 6 maintained their 2025 performance levels, and Grade 3 decreased by one percentage point.
Social Studies and Science
In social studies, Grade 8 results increased from 30% to 32% of students meeting grade level.
The recent implementation of the updated science curriculum standards, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), resulted in updated content on the Grade 5 and 8 science assessments. To ensure the updated content on the science assessments does not increase or decrease the difficulty level of the tests, standard-setting processes are being conducted, and science results will be released on July 31, 2026.
In mathematics, Grade 4 students recorded the largest gain, increasing by four percentage points, with more students meeting grade level now than before the pandemic. Other grade levels showed smaller increases or remained steady, with the exception of Grade 7.
The decline observed in the Grade 7 math assessment reflects the subset of students taking that test, as far more 7th grade students are taking the Grade 8 math assessment than ever before. When analyzed by students’ enrolled grade level rather than the assessment taken, the percentage of students meeting grade level expectations increased across every grade level.
In 2023, the Texas Legislature enacted Senate Bill (SB) 2124 to expand access to an advanced mathematics pathway. Under the law, students who demonstrated strong performance in elementary mathematics are automatically enrolled in advanced mathematics courses in middle school, placing them on a pathway to complete Algebra I in Grade 8.
In Spring 2026, 32% of all 7th grade students completed the Grade 8 mathematics STAAR assessment, up from 16% in 2023. Texas has effectively doubled the number of middle schoolers gaining access to advanced mathematics coursework in just three years.
This increase is especially pronounced for economically disadvantaged students. In Spring 2026, 65,418 low-income 7th grade students took the Grade 8 assessment, representing a substantial increase in participation in advanced math coursework.
The increase in the percentage of students meeting grade level by enrolled grade level, despite more students taking advanced math courses, suggests that the policy is already producing meaningful results.
Supporting Student Success
State assessments are an important resource for understanding grade-level student performance and supporting future academic growth for every child. The TexasAssessment.gov Family Portal provides parents and guardians with easy access to their child’s STAAR results through clear, easy-to-read reports. These reports offer valuable insights into student performance, including each assessment question, their child's response and personalized resources to support continued academic growth.
For families of students who scored Did Not Meet Grade Level on the Grade 3 RLA STAAR assessment, the Texas legislature has established the new Parent Access to Supplemental Supports (PASS) program. Eligible families may receive up to $400 for literacy tutoring services. Parents and guardians can create an account and apply through the PASS website: pass.tea.texas.gov
Beginning in Fall 2026, eligible families will be able to use PASS funds to access parent-selected tutoring services, including in-person tutoring companies, virtual tutoring providers and designated Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) tutors. These supports are designed to help students strengthen their literacy skills and achieve future academic success.
A more detailed statewide summary of the 2026 STAAR 3-8 results is available on TEA’s website.
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