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Bill

HB 134

Relating to public school accountability, including reducing state required accountability exams to the minimum required by federal law and replacing current state required assessments with instructionally supportive assessments.

89th Legislature, 1st Called Session (2025) Introduced by Jay Dean

Reduces Texas school testing to federal minimums only, replacing state assessments with undefined "instructionally supportive" alternatives to decrease accountability oversight and testing burden.

Filed
#educationagency #texas(v9941) #education #commissionerof(v9954) #stateboardof(v0086) #education--primary&secondary--accountability(i0007) #education--primary&secondary--charterschools(i0245) #education--primary&secondary--testing(i0229) #education--schooldistricts(i0220) #electronicinformationsystems(i0311) #federalrelations(s0862)
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Bill Summary · HB 134

Legislative bill overview

HB 134 would reduce Texas public school accountability testing to only what federal law mandates, eliminating additional state-required exams. It proposes replacing current state assessments with "instructionally supportive assessments" designed to provide educational value beyond compliance and accountability measurement.

Why is this important

Texas currently administers more standardized tests than federal law requires, consuming classroom time and resources. This bill could reduce testing burden on students and teachers while potentially freeing up instructional time, but it fundamentally reshapes how the state measures school performance and ensures educational quality.

Potential points of contention

  • Loss of state oversight: Removing state exams beyond federal minimums could reduce Texas's ability to independently monitor school quality, close achievement gaps, and hold districts accountable beyond federal standards
  • Definition ambiguity: "Instructionally supportive assessments" is undefined in the bill summary, raising questions about whether these provide rigorous accountability data or simply reduce high-stakes testing without replacement measures
  • Federal-only compliance: Relying solely on federal testing requirements (typically STAAR reading/math in grades 3-8 and science in grades 5, 8) eliminates state measures for other subjects and grade levels currently assessed

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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