Texas high schoolers show gains across all subjects on STAAR tests
By Sneha Dey and Hien An Ngo, The Texas Tribune
June 10, 2026
Texas high school students made gains in every subject from algebra to U.S. history, according to results from state tests released Wednesday, a sign of recovery amid years-long efforts to make up for pandemic-related learning disruptions.
The STAAR end-of-course exams tested students in algebra I, biology, English I, English II and U.S. history this spring – and measured whether they are ready for college, a career or the military.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath credited the gains to “focused instruction and high expectations.” He added it could be a positive effect of a new state ban on cell phone use among older students.
“Students are better able to stay focused on their schoolwork while at school,” he said in a statement.
The partial release of STAAR results showed about 54% of students who tested in algebra I had the skills appropriate for their grade level, up from 47% last year. That’s still below the 62% recorded in 2019 as students continue to try to recover from learning loss during the pandemic.
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Meanwhile, biology saw one of the biggest single-year gains, with a 9 percentage-point increase from the previous year. At 71% of students demonstrating they have grade-level biology skills this spring, Texas has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.
The jumps in math and science will translate to fewer students in college remedial math classes and more students ready for critical careers such as nursing, said Mary Lynn Pruneda, the director of education and workforce policy at Texas 2036. Still, Pruneda said the state needs to get more students on grade-level with math skills, by investing in strong teaching materials and encouraging students who are struggling to get extra tutoring.
The pandemic had a particularly devastating impact on math because those lessons build on each other, Pruneda said.
“If you miss the week of instruction on fractions, you’re not going to continue,” she said. “We’ve got to do some serious reflection as a state.”
Performance in English saw smaller wins. The share of students meeting grade level rose from 51% to 55% in English I and from 56% to 60% in English II.
Among English language learners, students with disabilities and children from low-income families, the percentage of those meeting grade level also increased in every end-of-course test subject area.
Test results are a large part of the state’s academic accountability system. Districts that persistently fail those standards risk being taken over by the state with the commissioner replacing their local leadership.
Three years under state control, Houston ISD surpassed Texas’ overall performance in algebra, biology and U.S. history.
Other districts recently under a takeover — including Fort Worth, Beaumont, Lake Worth and Connally — saw gains but still lagged behind state performance across subject areas. The exception was Connally ISD’s results in biology, which at 75% exceeded the state rate by 4 percentage points.
Students must pass the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness’ end-of-course tests to graduate from a Texas high school. Some middle schoolers taking the upper-level classes must also take the end-of-course exams.
As part of a phasing out of STAAR, students will no longer take the English II end-of-year test starting in the 2027-28 school year. State lawmakers overhauled Texas’ exams as a response to widespread complaints from teachers and families about over testing.
This is a developing story and will be updated frequently.
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
