New Caney ISD saw year-over-year improvement in most subjects for the spring 2026 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, but local students were outperformed by the state in most categories, according to results released by the Texas Education Agency.
The TEA released statewide and district-specific test scores for the STAAR scores for grades 3-8 on June 16. End-of-course exam scores were released June 10. Science scores will be released July 31.
What you need to know
According to the TEA’s website, the agency uses a four-tiered grading system for student performance to score STAAR test performance in each subject:
- Did not meet grade level
- Approaches grade level
- Meets grade level
- Masters grade level
"Approaches grade level" is considered a passing score, with the TEA determining that students with this score are likely to succeed in the next grade or course, but could need targeted academic intervention, according to the website.
What’s changed
Of the 18 grade levels and subjects scores were released for, year-over-year performance in NCISD:
- Improved in 11
- Declined in three
- Saw no change in four
For 2026, the state scores were higher than NCISD’s in all but two categories—the Algebra 1 and the U.S. History end-of-course exams—according to the June 16 results. For Algebra 1, NCISD students outranked students statewide with 86% of students passing and 82% of students passing, respectively. For U.S. History, 93% of both NCISD students and students statewide passed.
NCISD officials opted not to comment on the STAAR scores before they are finalized in July.
The specifics
The largest changes in year-over-year performance within NCISD are:
- On the Algebra 1 End of Course test with 86% of students approaching grade level this year compared to 76% in 2025.
- On the eighth grade math test with 61% of students approaching grade level this year versus 52% in 2025.
At the district level, most EOC scores and most grade’s math scores improved year over year.
Zooming out
In a June 16 news release from the TEA, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said this year’s STAAR scores show both student progress and more work to be done.
"We are encouraged by continued gains in mathematics, especially with the growing number of students participating and succeeding in advanced mathematics courses,” Morath said. “The gains in middle school reading are also notable, as it may be associated with the statewide ban on the use of cell phones in schools."
What parents should know
Families can access their child’s results at www.texasassessment.gov using their unique access code from the district.
Brooke Sjoberg contributed to this report.
