STAAR Grades 3-8 Results Released: Some Quick Takeaways for Texas Families

New data reveal signs of growth in reading and math for Texas elementary and middle school students

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, June 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Texas Education Agency today released results from the 2026 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) for grades 3 through 8. An analysis from Texas 2036 shows the share of students reading on grade level continues to surpass pre-pandemic levels, but math still lags behind for all grades except fourth.

“We are encouraged by signs of progress in reading language arts announced today. In particular, we are heartened by significant gains in the number of fifth and seventh graders who are demonstrating subject mastery,” said Mary Lynn Pruneda, Education and Workforce Policy Director for Texas 2036. “But we should not be satisfied until every Texas student is ready for the next grade, and today's results make clear that we still have significant ground to cover, especially in math."

The annual assessments measure student performance in math and reading language arts across grades 3-8, science in grades 5 and 8, and social studies in grade 8.

These results, combined with last week's STAAR End of Course data, help provide an emerging picture of student academic performance across Texas.

Key Findings

* Reading Language Arts: More than half of students across grades 3-8 (54%) met grade-level expectations in reading language arts, unchanged from 2025. However, students in 7th and 8th grades showed growth, increasing by two percentage points and three percentage points, respectively.

* Math: 43% of students met grade-level expectations in math, up 1 percentage point from 2025. Despite year-over-year improvements among fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth graders, student performance largely remains below pre-pandemic levels.

* Social Studies: 32% of 8th graders met grade-level expectations in social studies, compared to 30% in 2025.

Across all tested grades — including EOC results released June 10 — 45% of students statewide are now meeting grade-level expectations in math and 55% in reading language arts.

The Path to No. 1 in Education

Gov. Greg Abbott has set a bold goal for Texas: to become the No. 1 state in education in the nation. Today's STAAR results for grades 3-8 reflect both the progress Texas has made and the significant work that remains to reach that standard.

Too many students, particularly in math, still lack skills they need to be successful. Math performance in the middle grades is of particular concern.

"STAAR is how Texas knows whether every student, in every community, is truly on track,” said Pruneda. “These results don't just tell us how students did on a test. They tell us whether our younger learners are building the foundation they need for long-term success.”

Investments made last session in early numeracy, foundational literacy and teacher quality, which were included in 2025’s landmark public education legislation, represent meaningful steps forward. The state can now direct sustained attention to the middle grades to help close achievement gaps before students enter high school.

"We're encouraged to see gains in math outcomes across most grades, an early sign that many of the reforms and focus of the legislature are coming to fruition,” said Trip Davis, K-12 Policy Advisor for Texas 2036. “The next test for our state will be the middle grades, where math remains the furthest from pre-pandemic levels. Ensuring our students arrive at high school ready to continue their education and career exploration remains a top priority for our state.”

Texas 2036's full analysis of the 2026 STAAR grades 3-8 results is available at texas2036.org/texas-staar-results-2026.

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About Texas 2036

Texas 2036 is a nonpartisan public policy organization dedicated to improving lives and opportunities for all Texans through 2036, Texas’ bicentennial year, and beyond.

Merrill Davis
Texas 2036
+1 713-213-7297
email us here

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