Texas STAAR Testing Calendar 2026-2027 — Complete Schedule (Plus the SST Transition Coming in 2027-28)
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has published its official 2026-2027 Student Assessment Testing Calendar (April 2026 version). It contains all STAAR, TELPAS, and Student Success Tool (SST) field test windows — and quietly confirms a major change: 2027 is the last full year of STAAR before Texas transitions to the new Student Success Tool (SST) system starting in the 2027-28 school year. This guide lays out the complete dates exactly as TEA published them, then explains what the SST transition means for accelerated students, parents, and Credit by Examination (CBE) candidates.
This is an independent guide. Texas CBE™ is not affiliated with TEA, UTHS Texas Tech, or any Texas school district. Verify any specific date with your campus or TEA's official PDF before acting.
The headline news first
- Last STAAR Spring administration for grades 3-8: Spring 2027.
- Last STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) administration: December 2027.
- From the 2027-28 school year onward, Texas transitions to the Student Success Tool (SST).
- An SST stand-alone field test runs February 1-5, 2027 — a preview of the new system.
- CBE (Credit by Examination) is separate and continues unaffected — both the free district-administered route (TEC §28.023, 80% passing) and the paid UTHS Texas Tech route (TEC §74.24, 70% passing).
Fall 2026 STAAR EOC — already in the books
| Testing Window | Assessments | Last make-up day |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 30 - Dec 11, 2026 | Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, U.S. History (STAAR EOC) | Friday, Dec 11, 2026 |
Reporting: Assessment results in ~4 weeks. Data verification reports 5-6 weeks. Final accountability reports 15 weeks after the window closes.
Spring 2027 — the main testing season (and the last spring STAAR)
The TEA calendar breaks Spring 2027 STAAR into three back-to-back windows, plus separate windows for TELPAS and STAAR Alternate 2:
| Window | Tests | Last make-up day |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 5 - Apr 16 | Grades 3-8 Reading Language Arts, English I, English II | Friday, Apr 16, 2027 |
| Apr 12 - Apr 23 | Grade 5 Science, Grade 8 Science, Grade 8 Social Studies, Biology, U.S. History | Friday, Apr 23, 2027 |
| Apr 19 - Apr 30 | Grades 3-8 Mathematics, Algebra I | Friday, Apr 30, 2027 |
Reporting (Spring EOC): Results in 2-3 weeks. Data verification reports 4-5 weeks. Final accountability 9-10 weeks.
Summer 2027 STAAR EOC — the last summer retake
| Window | Tests | Last make-up day |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 14 - Jun 25, 2027 | Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, U.S. History (retake / first-time) | Friday, Jun 25, 2027 |
Reporting: Results in 4 weeks. Final accountability 9-10 weeks.
The SST field test — February 1-5, 2027
Before STAAR fully sunsets, Texas runs a stand-alone field test for the Student Success Tool (SST) from February 1-5, 2027. The field test covers:
- Grades 3-8 Mathematics
- Grades 3-8 Reading Language Arts
- Elementary and Middle School Science
- Grade 8 Social Studies
- Algebra I, English I, Biology, U.S. History (EOC subjects)
According to TEA, the actual subjects selected for the field test depend on item availability in the SST item banks, and the final list will be announced in August 2026. This field test does not affect a student's grade or graduation — it is a calibration round for the new system.
TELPAS and STAAR Alternate 2 windows
| Window | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Feb 15 - Mar 26, 2027 | TELPAS (K-1 Listening/Speaking/Reading/Writing; 2-12 Listening/Speaking; 2-12 Reading/Writing) |
| Feb 15 - Mar 26, 2027 | TELPAS Alternate (grades 2-12) |
| Mar 15 - Apr 16, 2027 | STAAR Alternate 2 (grades 3-8 + EOC) |
Note: Test administrators may preview (not administer) STAAR Alternate 2 assessments during the two weeks before the window opens (Mar 1-15). Assessments may also be previewed during the window.
Late Jan - Mid Mar 2027 — NAEP Grade 8 Science pilot
A National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Grade 8 Science pilot runs late January through mid-March 2027. NAEP is a federally administered assessment, not a Texas-specific graduation test — most students never see it. Schools selected for the sample participate.
What the SST transition means for accelerated students
Texas families with students on a math-acceleration path (taking Algebra 1 in 7th or 8th grade, for example) should know:
- CBE is unchanged. Both the free TEC §28.023 district-administered CBE (80% to earn credit) and the paid TEC §74.24 UTHS-Texas Tech CBE (70% to earn credit) continue regardless of the STAAR-to-SST transition. CBE is a separate statute and a separate system.
- STAAR Algebra 1 EOC requirement: through Spring 2027 (and Summer 2027 retake), students take STAAR EOC for graduation accountability. From 2027-28, the SST replaces it. TEA has not yet published the SST passing standard or new graduation-credit details — those rule decisions are expected in 2027.
- If your child is on track to take Algebra 1 CBE in 2026-27: nothing changes. CBE is the route that lets accelerated students earn the Algebra 1 credit without sitting for STAAR EOC at all. CBE vs STAAR comparison for the longer answer.
- If your child plans to take Algebra 1 STAAR EOC in 2026-27: you have three windows (Fall 2026 EOC done; Spring 2027 Apr 19-30; Summer 2027 Jun 14-25; and one last Dec 2027 EOC). After that, SST.
Reporting time frames at a glance
| Assessment | Results | Data verification | Final accountability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring grades 3-8 | 4-5 weeks | 6-7 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Spring EOC | 2-3 weeks | 4-5 weeks | 9-10 weeks |
| Summer EOC | 4 weeks | 5 weeks | 9-10 weeks |
| Fall EOC (Dec 2026) | 4 weeks | 5-6 weeks | 15 weeks |
| TELPAS | 8 weeks | 10-11 weeks | 17-18 weeks |
| TELPAS Alternate | 2 weeks | 4-5 weeks | 7-8 weeks |
| STAAR Alternate 2 | 8 weeks | 9-10 weeks | 13-14 weeks |
How our practice fits — TEKS-aligned, format-aligned
Texas CBE™ is a Texas-focused practice platform built around the TEKS for Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Biology, Chemistry, U.S. History, and SAT Math. Our questions mirror the STAAR EOC format (multi-format items, 4-option MCQ, and constructed-response style) so practice transfers directly to test day. The same content also prepares students for CBE — both the §28.023 free district route and the §74.24 UTHS-Texas Tech paid route.
For 2026-27 testing season specifically:
- Targeting Spring 2027 STAAR Algebra 1 EOC (Apr 19-30): 8-12 weeks of focused practice before April typically moves borderline students to "Meets" or "Masters" performance levels.
- Targeting Summer 2027 retake (Jun 14-25): 4-6 weeks of focused remediation after the spring results.
- Targeting December 2027 retake (last STAAR EOC): this is the final STAAR window — students who don't pass before this date roll into the SST system in 2028.
- Pursuing CBE instead: CBE has no fixed calendar — students can sit for it on their schedule. Our Algebra 1 practice covers both STAAR EOC and CBE content (substantial overlap).
Want to see where your child stands before STAAR or CBE? Try our Algebra 1 free sample — no signup, no payment. Scoring 80%+ cold typically signals "Meets" or "Masters" performance band on STAAR Algebra 1, and CBE-ready (80% threshold) for the district route. Other subjects: Geometry, Algebra 2, Biology, Chemistry, U.S. History, SAT Math.
Related guides
- STAAR Algebra 1 EOC — practice strategy
- Texas CBE — full overview (free §28.023 + paid §74.24)
- Texas math acceleration roadmap (7th grade to Calculus)
Sources
- Texas Education Agency — 2026-2027 Student Assessment Testing Calendar (April 2026 PDF).
- Texas Education Agency — School Year 2027-28 Student Assessment Testing Calendar correspondence.
- Texas Education Agency — Student Assessment program home page.
- UTHS Texas Tech K-12 — Credit by Examination program.
This is an independent guide. Texas CBE™ is not affiliated with the Texas Education Agency, UTHS Texas Tech, or any Texas school district. The TEA testing calendar may be updated — verify with the latest TEA PDF before relying on any specific date.