Dallas County Students Show Steady Progress Across Grades 3–8 STAAR Assessments
Today, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released STAAR assessment results for students in grades 3–8 for the 2025–26 school year, providing families, educators, and communities with an important look at how students across Texas are building the foundational reading and math skills that support long-term academic success and economic mobility.
Across Dallas County, students showed steady, incremental progress in both reading and math compared to last year.
Across Dallas County, students demonstrated continued growth in both reading and math. Since 2025, the percentage of students in grades 3–8 meeting grade-level standards increased by 1 percentage point in reading and 2 percentage points in math. Dallas County matched the state in reading growth, where statewide performance remained stable from last year, while outpacing the state's 1 percentage point gain in math.
Most other sub-populations had growth on par with statewide results. Black students in Dallas County also made notable gains in 3–8 math, with the percentage of students meeting grade level standards increasing by 3 percentage points, outpacing the state’s 2 percentage point growth.
Across Dallas County, school systems have spent years strengthening instruction, investing in and supporting effective educators, and using data to better understand student needs. The steady gains reflected in this year's results suggest that sustained attention to evidence-based practices that affect what happens in classrooms every day can translate into meaningful progress for students over time.
Reading Outcomes Grew in the Middle Grades
One area where Dallas County saw notable reading growth was in the middle grades, where the percentage of students in grades 6–8 meeting grade level standards increased by 2 percentage points compared to the previous year. These results are particularly meaningful given that many of this year's middle school students experienced the COVID-19 pandemic during the years when critical reading skills are typically developed.
Reading proficiency remains one of the most important predictors of long-term academic success. Students rely on strong literacy skills to engage with increasingly complex content across every subject, and research has shown that students who demonstrate proficiency in 3rd grade reading are more likely to reach key milestones such as access to college courses in high school, high school graduation, and postsecondary enrollment.
Progress in Fourth-Grade Math Strengthens the Pipeline to Postsecondary Success
Fourth-grade math was another area of continued progress across Dallas County, with the percentage of students meeting grade level standards increasing by 5 percentage points compared to the previous year. Compared to last year, 12 of the largest 15 districts in Dallas County posted gains in the percentage of students meeting grade level standards.
These results are particularly important because the math skills students develop in elementary school can influence the academic opportunities available to them later on. Strong performance in the early grades helps position students for advanced math pathways in middle and high school, including Algebra I, which has long been associated with increased postsecondary enrollment and completion.
Continued Progress Across Grades
With STAAR EOC and 3–8 results now public, academic progress across Dallas County continues to be made. Across all currently reported tested grades and subjects, the percentage of students meeting grade-level standards increased by 3 percentage points, exceeding statewide growth by 1 percentage point. In total, 12 of Dallas County's 15 largest school systems improved their performance compared to the previous year.
While the gains varied by grade level and subject, the broader trend is encouraging: more students are meeting grade-level expectations. The results suggest that districts' sustained focus on high-quality instruction and putting effective teacher in classrooms is continuing to translate into positive outcomes for students.
Earlier Insights, Earlier Opportunities for Student Success
While this year's results offer an important snapshot of student performance, they also mark one of the final years before Texas transitions to a new approach for measuring student learning. Beginning in the 2027–28 school year, the state will replace STAAR with the Student Success Tool (SST), a through-year assessment system established through House Bill 8 during the 89th Legislative Session.
Rather than relying on a single end-of-year exam, the SST will provide three opportunities throughout the year to understand how students are progressing. The shift is intended to provide more actionable information to educators and families while creating earlier opportunities to address unfinished learning and celebrate student growth.
As Texas enters this transition period, the results released this year help establish a baseline for understanding how students are performing today and provide important context for measuring progress under the state's next generation of assessments.
Why Assessment Data & Analysis Matters
Assessment results should be viewed as an opportunity to better understand where students are succeeding and where additional support may still be needed.
At their best, statewide assessments help educators, families, and communities identify trends, understand challenges earlier, and make more informed decisions about how to support student learning. The Commit Partnership’s role is to help analyze statewide data through the lens of Dallas County, identify promising practices, support cross-system learning, and help communities better understand what the results may mean for students and schools across the region.
While there is still work ahead, today’s release provides encouraging evidence that many students are continuing to build the foundational skills needed for future success in high school, postsecondary education, and the workforce.
Commit’s initial insights of STAAR 3–8 Results for Dallas County can be found here.
FAQs: STAAR Grades 3-8 Results
1. What is STAAR?
STAAR stands for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. It is the statewide testing system used in Texas public schools to measure how well students are learning grade-level material in core subjects like reading, math, science, and social studies. Students in grades 3–8 take STAAR assessments each spring in subjects tied to their grade level.
2. Why do Grades 3–8 STAAR results matter?
Grades 3–8 STAAR results provide important insight into whether students are building the foundational reading and math skills needed for long-term academic success. Strong literacy and numeracy skills developed in elementary and middle school are closely connected to:
- success in high school coursework
- postsecondary enrollment and persistence
- workforce readiness
- long-term economic opportunity
The results also help educators, families, school systems, and policymakers better understand where students are making progress and where additional support may still be needed.
3. What were the biggest takeaways from this year’s Dallas County Grades 3–8 results?
Dallas County students demonstrated steady, incremental progress across Grades 3–8 STAAR assessments in 2026. Key takeaways include:
- Dallas County increased overall Meets Grade Level performance in both reading and math compared to the prior year.
- Reading performance remained relatively stable overall across many grade levels.
- Math results showed gradual improvement overall, though outcomes varied by grade level and district.
- Fourth-grade math emerged as an encouraging bright spot across Dallas County.
- Middle school reading results suggest many students continue recovering academically from disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Overall, the broader story in this year’s data is one of steady progress rather than dramatic swings in performance.
4. Why is reading proficiency so important?
Strong reading skills are foundational to success across every academic subject.
Students who read on grade level by elementary school are more likely to:
- succeed in later coursework
- graduate from high school
- enroll in postsecondary education
- access long-term economic opportunity
Research also shows it can become increasingly difficult for students to catch up academically once they fall behind in reading during the early grades, which is why sustained investment in literacy instruction remains so important.
5. Why do middle school math results require additional context?
Middle school math results can be more difficult to compare directly across districts because students may take different math assessments depending on their district’s advanced math pathways, course sequencing decisions, and access to Algebra I in middle school. For example:
- Some students may take grade-level math assessments.
- Other students may take accelerated coursework or Algebra I earlier than their peers.
- Districts may structure advanced math pathways differently.
As a result, direct comparisons across districts or grade levels may not always reflect the same student populations or instructional experiences.
Despite that complexity, districts across Dallas County continue working to strengthen math instruction and expand access to rigorous coursework.
6. What does “Meets Grade Level” mean?
Student performance on STAAR is separated into four performance categories:
- Masters Grade Level
- Meets Grade Level
- Approaches Grade Level
- Did Not Meet Grade Level
Students who score at the Meets Grade Level standard are generally considered to be:
- well prepared for the next grade level or course
- likely to succeed in future coursework with minimal additional support
While the number of questions needed to reach “Meets” varies by subject, grade, and year, it is generally considered a strong indicator that students are mastering grade-level content expectations.
7. What can schools and communities learn from this data?
Assessment results can help identify:
- where students are making progress
- where additional support may still be needed
- which student groups may need additional interventions
- which instructional strategies and supports may be contributing to stronger outcomes
Assessment results should not be viewed as a judgment of students, but as an opportunity to better understand how school systems can continue improving outcomes for all students. The goal is continuous improvement.
8. Will Texas continue using STAAR in the future?
No. As a result of House Bill 8, Texas will transition away from STAAR beginning in the 2027–28 school year.
The new assessment system — called the Student Success Tool (SST) — is designed to provide more frequent feedback throughout the school year rather than relying on a single end-of-year assessment.
The SST will measure student progress at multiple points during the school year and provide families and educators with faster information about student learning.
9. Why does Commit Partnership’s analysis matter?
TEA makes statewide assessment data publicly available, but the information is often shared through technical reports and downloadable files that can require time, context, and technical expertise to fully interpret.
One of The Commit Partnership’s roles is to help translate that data into accessible insights that educators, families, policymakers, funders, and community leaders can use to better understand student outcomes across Dallas County.
Commit’s 2025–26 STAAR Results Data Dashboard helps turn complex state data into visual insights that allow users to compare results across:
- districts
- student groups
- subjects
- grade levels
- years
- regions
The dashboard also includes local views and comparisons that are especially relevant to Dallas County communities and decision-makers.
That matters because data only drives change when people can understand it and act on it.
As an independent nonprofit, Commit Partnership works alongside districts and community partners to interpret the results, identify trends, highlight promising practices, and support collaboration around improving student outcomes.
10. What happens next?
The Grades 3–8 STAAR results released this week continue the statewide assessment rollout that began with End-of-Course (EOC) results earlier this month.
Commit Partnership will continue analyzing the data to better understand:
- where students are making progress
- where challenges remain
- how outcomes vary across student groups and subjects
- what practices may help accelerate long-term student success across Dallas County
Families can access their student’s individual STAAR results through the Texas Education Agency’s Family Portal at: https://www.texasassessment.gov/index.html
Community members can also explore Commit Partnership’s STAAR Results Data Dashboard for additional Dallas County insights and trends at: https://www.commitpartnership.org/insights/data-dashboards/staar-results-dashboard
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