2026 STAAR results for Texas high school students will be released this week.
The Texas Education Agency will release results this week for STAAR, the statewide standardized test taken by millions of Texas students every year, providing key insights into the state of education in Dallas ISD and the rest of Texas.
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness is administered to all public school students in grades three through 12 at the end of the academic year. The test is meant to measure how much students have learned each year and whether they are prepared for the next grade level.
Aggregate STAAR results help the state and school districts see how students are doing in particular subject areas, and whether they have improved from previous years or are falling behind.
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Who takes the STAAR?
All students enrolled in Texas public schools and open-enrollment charter schools in third through eighth grades will take multiple STAAR exams every year, including reading language arts, science, social studies and mathematics.
Specific high school courses — Algebra I, English I and II, biology and U.S. history — are also tested.
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When are STAAR scores available?
High school STAAR results will be released on June 10, while STAAR results for grades three through eight will be available June 16.
STAAR tests administered in June will be available July 31.
How can I access my child’s STAAR results?
STAAR results will be available at texasassessment.gov, using your student’s unique six-digit access code. Access codes can be found on the front of your student’s report card, or the school can also provide the access code.
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How do I interpret my child’s scores?
STAAR test scores fall into one of four categories: “masters grade level,” “meets grade level,” “approaches grade level,” and “did not meet grade level.” “Approaches grade level” is considered a passing grade, but means the student will likely need extra help in that subject.
A STAAR report card will also show a student’s progress from the previous year. Students will get a raw score showing the number of correct answers, but they will also receive a scale score that considers the difficulty of that particular test. Comparing scale scores — rather than raw scores — across multiple years will give a more accurate picture of a student’s growth.
How does Texas use STAAR scores?
Aggregate STAAR results fuel the state’s accountability system for schools and districts. Every year, each campus and school district receives a grade from A-F, largely driven by STAAR results, among other factors like graduation rates.
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Related: How did your Dallas ISD school fare in 2025 A-F ratings?
Consistent failing grades at a single campus can lead to state intervention in school districts, up to and including state takeovers. In a state takeover, district leadership is replaced with leaders selected by the Texas Education Agency. That happened to Fort Worth ISD and Lake Worth ISD in Tarrant County in the last year. Austin ISD is currently facing the threat of state takeover.
Related: Texas school takeover tracker: See districts under state control and who’s at risk
Is STAAR going away?
Yes. Beginning with the 2027-28 academic year, the STAAR test will be replaced with a new assessment called the Student Success Tool. Rather than one test at the end of each year, the Student Success Tool will require assessments at the beginning, middle and end of year for third through eighth grades. The beginning and mid-year tests will be optional for high school students.
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Related: Texas will drop the STAAR test. Here’s what families need to know about what will replace it
Parents, students and educators have long said the STAAR tests put too much pressure on students, and preparing for it takes up too much instructional time. However, some lawmakers question whether the new testing model alleviates that pressure.
Are STAAR tests graded by artificial intelligence?
In December 2023, the Texas Education Agency began using computers to score STAAR essays, with about three-quarters of written responses scored by a computer. State officials have defended the practice, saying the system is not like generative AI, but a tool specifically programmed to grade an essay like a human.
Some school district leaders, including Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde, raised concerns about the practice, especially after thousands of Dallas students were found to have been scored too low. After being rescored by a human, nearly 2,000 students’ scores improved — roughly 43% of a sample of 4,600 students.
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The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.
The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, Judy and Jim Gibbs, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Ron Steinhart, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks, and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.