H.B. No. 8 aims to enhance public school accountability and transparency in Texas by establishing a new instructionally supportive assessment program. The bill amends the Education Code to ensure that parents have online access to state assessment instruments and their results, while also mandating that school districts and charter schools provide this information through a dedicated portal. It outlines a transition plan from the current State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) program to the new assessment program by the 2027-2028 school year, requiring the Texas Education Agency to contract with a recognized provider and conduct field testing of new assessment items. The bill emphasizes maintaining stability in the assessment program and includes provisions for a study to ensure the appropriateness of assessment items for their intended grade levels.

Additionally, the bill introduces several amendments to improve the evaluation and accountability of school districts and campuses. It establishes new performance indicators, including metrics for prekindergarten participation and successful completion of career and technology courses, and requires the Texas School Accountability Dashboard to display this performance data. The bill also allows for the imposition of interventions or sanctions based on performance ratings, even if those ratings were not assigned due to legal injunctions. Furthermore, it enhances transparency by allowing appeals of agency decisions in district court and requires compliance measures for assessment administration. Overall, H.B. No. 8 seeks to strengthen accountability, improve educational outcomes, and enhance the transparency of the Texas education system.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 26.005, Education Code 39.022, Education Code 39.023, Education Code 39.0263, Education Code 39.0301, Education Code 39.304, Education Code 39.053, Education Code 39.054, Education Code 39.0541, Education Code 39.0542, Education Code 39.0544, Education Code 39.201, The following provisions of the Education Code 39.0531, Education Code 7.057, Education Code 39.001, Education Code 39.151, Education Code 7.056, Education Code 11.185, Education Code 21.4552, Education Code 39.02342, Education Code 39.0236, Education Code 39.0238, Education Code 39.025, Education Code 39.027, Education Code 39.030, Education Code 39.031, Education Code 39.035, Education Code 39.203 (Education Code 7, Education Code 11, The following provisions of the Education Code 39, Education Code 39, Education Code 21, Education Code 26)
House Committee Report: Education Code 26.005, Education Code 39.022, Education Code 39.023, Education Code 39.0263, Education Code 39.0301, Education Code 39.304, Education Code 39.053, Education Code 39.054, Education Code 39.0541, Education Code 39.0542, Education Code 39.0544, Education Code 39.201, The following provisions of the Education Code 39.0531, Education Code 7.057, Education Code 39.001, Education Code 39.151, Education Code 7.056, Education Code 11.185, Education Code 21.4552, Education Code 39.02342, Education Code 39.0236, Education Code 39.0238, Education Code 39.025, Education Code 39.027, Education Code 39.030, Education Code 39.031, Education Code 39.035, Education Code 39.203 (Education Code 7, Education Code 11, The following provisions of the Education Code 39, Education Code 39, Education Code 21, Education Code 26)
Engrossed: Education Code 26.005, Education Code 39.022, Education Code 39.023, Education Code 39.0263, Education Code 39.0301, Education Code 39.304, Education Code 39.053, Education Code 39.054, Education Code 39.0541, Education Code 39.0542, Education Code 39.0544, Education Code 39.201, Education Code 7.057, Education Code 39.001, Education Code 39.151, Education Code 7.056, Education Code 11.185, Education Code 21.4552, Education Code 39.02342, Education Code 39.0236, Education Code 39.0238, Education Code 39.025, Education Code 39.027, Education Code 39.030, Education Code 39.031, Education Code 39.035, Education Code 39.203 (Education Code 7, Education Code 11, The following provisions of the Education Code 39, Education Code 39, Education Code 21, Education Code 26)
Enrolled: Education Code 26.005, Education Code 39.022, Education Code 39.023, Education Code 39.0263, Education Code 39.0301, Education Code 39.304, Education Code 39.053, Education Code 39.054, Education Code 39.0541, Education Code 39.0542, Education Code 39.0544, Education Code 39.201, Education Code 7.057, Education Code 39.001, Education Code 39.151, Education Code 7.056, Education Code 11.185, Education Code 21.4552, Education Code 39.02342, Education Code 39.0236, Education Code 39.0238, Education Code 39.025, Education Code 39.027, Education Code 39.030, Education Code 39.031, Education Code 39.035, Education Code 39.203 (Education Code 7, Education Code 11, The following provisions of the Education Code 39, Education Code 39, Education Code 21, Education Code 26)