Austin, TX – State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) today announced the Texas House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed House Bill 4, a significant reform to eliminate the STAAR exam and overhaul the state’s public school accountability system. As a co-author, Landgraf has been a key advocate for these changes.

“Today marks a monumental step forward for Texas students, parents, and educators,” said Landgraf. “The STAAR exam has long been a source of stress, taking time away from meaningful learning. House Bill 4 replaces this outdated system with an assessment program focused on student growth, not just a single, high-stakes test.”

House Bill 4 replaces the STAAR exam with shorter nationally norm-referenced tests administered three times each year to track student progress. This new approach provides timely, actionable feedback for educators, students, and parents, reducing classroom disruptions and allowing for more effective instruction.

“This bill is a win for teachers, who will now have the tools to support their students without the burden of a high-stakes test, and for students, who can now focus on learning instead of test preparation,” Landgraf added.

In addition to testing reform, the bill introduces clearer performance metrics and enhances transparency, giving parents greater visibility into their schools’ performance. It also grants school districts more flexibility by adding new indicators for student engagement and workforce development to ensure a fairer and more transparent accountability system.

Landgraf co-authored the bill with State Representative Brad Buckley (R-Salado). House Bill 4 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.