WACO, Texas (KWTX) -Texas high school STAAR test scores are out, showing higher scores across all subjects taken by students in the state, including Central Texas.
The STAAR test has students testing in Algebra 1, English 1 and 2, Biology and U.S. History.
Central Texas students within the Region 12 area passed right in line with the state’s average.
Performance categories and requirements
Student performance on STAAR is separated into four categories for the end of course scores: Did not meet grade level, Approaches the grade level, Meets the grade level, and Masters the grade level.
Students who approach the grade level or higher on STAAR have passed the test, but students need to meet the grade level to move on to the next school year.
Central Texas scores compared to state averages
In Region 12, 50 percent of high school students who tested in Algebra 1 met the grade level, while the state’s average is 54 percent.
In Biology, 68 percent of Central Texas students met the grade level, slightly lower than the state’s average of 71 percent.
Central Texas students scored an average of 56 percent in English 1, higher than the state average of 55 percent.
In English 2, 60 percent of students met the grade level, right in line with the state’s 60 percent average.
For U.S. History, 70 percent of Region 12 high schoolers met the grade level, the same average as the state.
District-by-district results
Killeen ISD saw scores go up across the board in Algebra 1, both English tests and Biology, but saw a slight decrease with their History scores.
Belton ISD also saw increases in their Algebra, Biology and English 1 scores, but saw no change in English 2 and History.
Waco ISD saw increases across the board on all subjects, with more students meeting the grade level than last year.
Midway ISD saw higher scores in all subjects except in English 1, where there is a slight dip in students who meet the grade level, but did have the same percent of students who passed the test.
Temple ISD’s biggest improvements were in Biology but did see more students across other subjects meeting grade level.
Copperas Cove ISD also saw more students meeting the grade level in all subjects, with the biggest differences in Biology and English 2.
Connally ISD saw the biggest improvements in Biology, going from 34 percent of students meeting grade level in 2025 to 75 percent meeting grade level in 2026.
“Here in Connally ISD, and I’ve shared this with the staff, we’re going to be focusing on proficiency, so meets and above. When a student meets standards, that means they are working on grade level and that’s our goal,” said Superintendent Dr. Josie Gutierrez.
Gutierrez said this is a good sign of the hard work from their students and staff, recently after the TEA came in to help improve all their schools.
“I’m just really excited and proud of the scores, the momentum that the high school has accomplished, and like I said, we are just going to continue to move the work forward,” Gutierrez said.
More score details will be published when scores from Grades 3 through 8 are released.
Officials credit cell phone policy
TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said in a statement on the TEA’s website, that the scores show how the state’s new cell phone policy is working.
“These results reflect the hard work of Texas students, educators and families and demonstrate that focused instruction and high expectations continue to produce positive outcomes for students across our state,” said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath. “These results may also be reflective of the legislature’s ban of cell phone use in classrooms, so that students are better able to stay focused on their schoolwork while at school.”
Texas House Representative Brad Buckley for District 54, who represents Bell County, said he agrees.
“Creating a phone-free school has a lot of social benefits, a lot of mental health benefits, and I think we are seeing in these results we are seeing a lot of academic outcome benefit as well,” Buckley said.
Buckley said the many bills he helped pass to improve public education are working together to improve student success across the board.
“The EOC results is a response to many things, whether it be the cellphone ban, whether it be higher standards. We are seeing the results, some great teaching by teachers and really good support provided by schools, and that’s all in the data. So, I think you’re going to see this continue and we must, our system is designed to be a continuous improvement model. We want to keep getting better and better and better,” Buckley said.
Policy group Texas 2036 is tracking scores and doing research as the data comes in.
Director of Education and Workforce Policy Mary Lynn Pruneda said while these scores have passed pre-pandemic scores, there is still much work to be done to ensure every student’s success in the state.
“Getting as many students in this state doing reading and math on grade level by the end of high school, and I think this is a good step in the right direction, but it’s not nearly enough steps to get us to that goal of every kid in the state, no matter where they come from, no matter who their parents are, having access to a great public school and being able to enter the college and career path of their choosing,” Pruneda said.
These scores are from high schoolers but could change as re-testing begins next week for students who did not pass their tests.
Scores from grades 3 through 8 will be released on June 16th.
Copyright 2026 KWTX. All rights reserved.