Texas STAAR Assessment Results Show Mixed Performance

Students demonstrate teamwork and collaboration in STEM activities.

News Summary

The Texas Education Agency has released the Spring STAAR End-of-Course assessment results, revealing improvements in STEM subjects but declines in language arts and history. While high school students showed gains in Algebra I and Biology, scores in English and U.S. History fell. The findings highlight a need for targeted improvement in literacy and language instruction, particularly for economically disadvantaged and special education students. The outcomes will inform educational strategies and policies in Texas as the state works to address these disparities.

Austin, Texas – The Texas Education Agency has released the Spring 2025 STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) assessment results for high school subjects, highlighting both gains in STEM fields and declines in language arts and history. The results serve as a critical evaluation of student performance across various subjects, with implications for educational strategies and policy in the state.

According to the assessment, 47% of high school students met grade-level expectations in Algebra I, marking a slight increase from 45% in 2024. Similarly, Biology saw a rise in success rates, with 62% of students meeting the benchmark, up from 57%. In contrast, scores in English language arts revealed a concerning trend, with English I scores declining to 51%, a drop from 54%, and English II scores decreasing to 56%, down from 60%. Additionally, U.S. History scores fell slightly to 68%, down from 69%.

These results indicate a mixed performance across subjects. Specifically, while the increased proficiency in math and science is encouraging, the decline in language arts and history highlights the need for targeted improvement efforts. This is particularly important, as success in subjects like Algebra is associated with positive postsecondary outcomes and higher wage potential.

In-depth analysis revealed that economically disadvantaged students, special education students, and emergent bilingual students demonstrated modest gains in the Biology assessment, which is a hopeful sign for inclusive educational practices. Nevertheless, the declines in English scores, with a drop of 3 percentage points in English I and 4 in English II, raise questions about literacy and language instruction in Texas schools.

The STAAR tests are intended to provide a benchmark for academic progress in Texas, and the latest outcomes will likely inform future legislative and educational initiatives. Recently, Senate Bill 2124 was enacted during the 2023 legislative session, aimed at boosting math proficiency across schools. Although there was an attempt to eliminate the STAAR testing program, advocacy from various stakeholders has led to continued reliance on these assessments to gauge student performance.

Focusing specifically on the Houston Independent School District (HISD), the results paint a nuanced picture. HISD reported significant gains in Algebra I and Biology, with 51% of students exceeding grade level in Algebra I, surpassing the state average. The Biology scores of HISD students also stood at 63%, above the state average of 62%. However, challenges remain. Only 46% of HISD students met grade-level expectations in English I, illustrating a disparity of 5 points with the state average. The district’s English II scores were similarly lower, with 52% of students meeting expectations, which is 4 points below the statewide average.

Furthermore, U.S. History scores in HISD reached 67%, close to the state average of 68%, reflecting comparable achievement. These results suggest that while progress is evident in certain areas, particularly in STEM subjects, further intervention may be necessary to elevate performance in humanities and social studies.

The STAAR results for grades 3-8 are anticipated to be released on June 17, 2025, providing additional data to better understand trends in student learning across the state. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath acknowledged the ongoing efforts of educators and students alike but strongly emphasized the necessity for continued improvements in academic achievement.

As these results continue to unfold and influence educational policy, the focus will remain on addressing the gaps in language arts and history while fostering the advancements seen in STEM subjects.