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STAAR Is Ending: Here’s What Texas Schools Need to Know About the Student Success Tool (SST)

  • August 10, 2026

A Quick Recap: After 15 years, Texas is retiring STAAR. Under House Bill 8, the Student Success Tool (SST) takes over in 2027-28, leaving students with one final STAAR exam in 2026-2027 and districts with less than two years to prepare for what’s coming. 

What’s coming is a major shift for Texas schools: one high-stakes spring exam will become three shorter checkpoints throughout the year. The change means teachers will see where students stand in September, not June, while still having time to act on the results.

What Has Changed: TEA recently released a dedicated SST webpage with full testing blueprints, curriculum changes, and a teacher-facing prototype for SST data reporting.

  • Implementation Timeline

TEA is phasing in SST across three years. Key dates are shown below:

2025
Fall 2025
TEA began developing SST test questions.
2026
Spring 2026
TEA published the 2027-28 testing calendar.
2026
Summer 2026
TEA gathers feedback on SST testing blueprints.
2026
Fall 2026
We are here. TEA publishes a dedicated SST webpage, full test blueprints, and an implementation guide for testing coordinators.
2027
Spring 2027
The last STAAR test for Grades 3-8. Educator training begins for SST rollout.
2027
Fall 2027
SST launches with the beginning-of-year and middle-of-year tests. The last STAAR exam will be administered in December 2027.
2028
Spring 2028
The first SST end-of-year test (and the first accountability results under the new system).

MasteryPrep + Sirius

A Unified Approach to Standards-Aligned Test Prep

A full TEKS-aligned readiness system built to improve district performance on STAAR, from Grades 3-EOC. A research-based, data-driven approach combines daily instruction, targeted assessments, and high-impact test prep to close learning gaps, raise accountability scores, and build confident test-takers for all tested subjects. 

Learn More

MasteryPrep is here to support the transition to SST. We are tracking every TEA release and updating districts as guidance lands. 

  • What's Changed and What's Stayed the Same

While the SST introduces a new approach to state testing, it’s grounded in the same Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) as STAAR, so students should see familiar content in many subjects. According to TEA’s recent release, some subjects will see more change than others.

Here’s what’s changed and what’s stayed the same. (Note: TEA’s RLA and English I materials still carry a DRAFT watermark. Math, Science, Social Studies, and U.S. History do not.)

What's Stayed the Same?
  • Math and Algebra I. The assessed standards are essentially unchanged from STAAR and match TEA’s current STAAR assessment areas.
  • Science. Biology, elementary science, and middle school science are also essentially unchanged, with standards that match current STAAR assessment areas.
What's Changed?

For the subjects below, TEA adjusted both the number of questions per reporting category and the relative emphasis on each.

  • RLA, Grades 3-8. Every grade level is changing, with the great number of adjustments in the early grades: (12 in Grade 3; 11 each in Grades 4 and 5; 8 each in Grades 6–8). In Grades 3–6, the changes are spread across Reading and Writing. In Grades 7–8, they’re concentrated in reading. SST also eliminates short constructed responses (SCRs).
  • English I. Ten changes, concentrated in the Reading strand.
  • Social Studies. Ten changes, concentrated in the History strand.
  • U.S. History. Nine changes, concentrated in the History strand.
Range Performance Level Descriptors (RPLDs)

TEA is introducing RPLDs, which describe what students at each performance level know and can do within each standard.

The four levels match the current labels: Does Not Meet, Approaches, Meets, and Masters. RPLDs apply across the Beginning-of-Year, Middle-of-Year, and End-of-Year (BOY, MOY, EOY) tests and are the framework from which SST questions are written. TEA is using STAAR data to build them and is vetting them with subject matter experts.

For teachers, RPLDs are meant to clarify the rigor expected at each level, point to next steps based on results, and inform curriculum planning.

Enhanced Reporting

TEA is expanding its Centralized Reporting System (CRS) with a new teacher-facing dashboard. The prototype includes:

  • A classroom-level performance snapshot
  • Performance levels specific to BOY and MOY
  • Individual student progress against the RPLDs, with suggested next steps
  • Filters for student groups (special education, emergent bilingual)
  • Sorting by prioritized or already-taught standards

Educators can review the prototype and submit feedback through October 31, 2026. The full platform will include the enhanced CRS dashboard, a Family Portal for BOY and MOY results, and a partnership with the Texas Education Exchange to deliver assessment data directly to participating districts.

Question Types

With one exception, every SST item will be machine-scored. TEA made this change to shorten scoring and reporting timelines. Approved item types:

  • Multiple choice
  • Inline choice (dropdown)
  • Multiple select (2 points)
  • Multi-part items (2 points)

The exception is the EOY RLA assessment, which will include a single extended constructed response (ECR), placed earlier in the test than in STAAR. The ECR rubric drops from 10 points to 6. SCRs are eliminated entirely.

Because BOY and MOY items are not released publicly, the first released SST questions will come from EOY forms starting in 2028. In the meantime, TEA says its practice test site will be updated to help students familiarize themselves with the new item types.

  • MasteryPrep Is Here to Support the Transition to SST

MasteryPrep remains your partner to help students succeed on Texas assessments. 

  • Nothing changes this year! STAAR runs through 2026-27, and the MasteryPrep and Sirius Education Solutions materials your teachers and students use will prepare them for the last STAAR test. 
  • Keeping you up to date. TEA will be releasing more information on the new SST throughout the year. We are tracking every TEA release and updating districts as guidance lands. 
  • Our focus on standards. Changing a state test is always a big deal. But beneath the new format, SST tests the same thing STAAR tested: the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Our solutions were built around TEKS from day one, keeping pace with updates to those standards when they happen. This won’t change. 

We support districts across Texas, from single campuses to some of the state’s largest systems, through multiple product lines. All of them are designed to improve student learning, identify skill gaps through data, and personalize instruction.

STAAR Solutions for Grades 3-8

Build a STAAR strategy that supports all learners and moves more students to Mastery.

  • Authentic STAAR practice, using the same item formats and rigor students will see on test day
  • Focused TEKS instruction as intervention
  • Previous-grade remediation for struggling students

STAAR Solutions for Grades 9-12

Build an EOC strategy that supports all learners and move more students to Mastery.

  • Build fluency with STAAR 2.0 formats through exposure to authentic question types.
  • Targets reteach by Reporting Category, to close learning gaps.
  • Previous-grade remediation for learners rebuilding foundational skills.

Boot Camp

One-day readiness workshops, offered online and in-person, led by a MasteryPrep-trained instructor. These sessions focus on essential test-taking strategies, giving students a focused final push before test day without adding work for teachers. See our success in raising student scores across Texas.

STAAR Assessment Banks

Whether used independently or together, the Summative and Formative Assessment Banks provide a full-cycle solution for STAAR readiness. Both assessment banks allow districts to manage assessments and analyze performance in a single, unified system. 

  • Frequently Asked Questions About SST

When is the last STAAR test?
The 2026-27 school year is the last full year of STAAR. Spring 2027 is the final administration for Grades 3-8.

What testing changes does the SST bring?
For Grades 3-8, the SST replaces end-of-year STAAR assessments with beginning-of-year (BOY), middle-of-year (MOY), and end-of-year (EOY) exams. Spanish assessments continue in Grades 3-5 and follow the same pattern.

Does SST impact high school?
SST has much less of an impact on high school tests. However, for EOC exams, English II will be eliminated, while Algebra I, Biology, English I, and U.S. History will still be required.

Does SST change graduation requirements?
One requirement changes, as English II is eliminated as both an administered exam and a graduation requirement beginning in 2027-28. However, it’s still required for the class of 2027. Algebra I, Biology, English I, and U.S. History requirements are unchanged.

What has TEA not published yet?
Test blueprints and scoring guides are not final, and TEA’s dedicated SST webpage has yet to come. Both are expected in Fall 2026, along with an implementation guide for testing coordinators.

Can we keep using our current MasteryPrep and Sirius materials?
Yes. Our Texas materials are built for the Texas curriculum and standards, which SST also measures. They support students through the final STAAR administrations, and we are aligning to SST’s structure as TEA publishes blueprints and scoring guides.

Support Student Success Across Texas Assessments

From adaptive online learning and practice testing to engaging Boot Camps and professional development, we help schools build the skills and confidence students need for success on STAAR, TSIA2, ACT, and SAT.
Explore Texas Solutions

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Copyright 2026 MasteryPrep. All Rights Reserved. ACT® is the registered trademark of ACT Education Corp. Some items in MasteryPrep programs are the copyrighted content of ACT Education Corp. and are reproduced with permission. SAT® is a trademark of the College Board. MasteryPrep LLC has no affiliation with College Board. MasteryPrep SAT programs are not approved or endorsed by College Board. The Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) is an ACCUPLACER® exam, which is a trademark of College Board. MasteryPrep has no affiliation with College Board or the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). WorkKeys® is a registered trademark of ACT Education Corp. The WorkKeys programs are not approved or endorsed by ACT Education Corp.

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