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Hays CISD’s State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness results show a mixture of improvements, declines and stability compared to last year's results. For most subjects, HCISD hovers around state averages.
The Texas Education Agency released STAAR scores for third through eighth grade June 16 and end-of-course exam scores June 10.
The overview
The TEA administers the STAAR test each year to assess student achievement in a given subject.
Students can receive one of four scores:
“Approaches grade level” is considered a passing grade. This indicates that a student is “likely to succeed in the next grade or course with targeted academic intervention,” according to the TEA.
HCISD meets or surpasses the state average in every subject except fifth, sixth and seventh grade math. The greatest decline for third through eighth grade scores was seen in sixth grade reading. Despite a 4 percentage point decline from last year, HCISD still outperforms the state by 1 percentage point.
The greatest improvements were seen in fourth grade math and seventh grade reading, with a 3-point increase in students approaching grade level.
The TEA also administers end-of-course exams for high school students. HCISD outperforms the state in every subject.
A closer look
The state administers a Spanish STAAR for third through fifth grade in math and reading. The Spanish STAAR is “administered to eligible students for whom a Spanish version of STAAR is the most appropriate measure of their academic progress,” according to the TEA website.
HCISD underperforms the state in every subject. The greatest decline was noted in fifth grade reading, with the percentage of students approaching grade level dropping by 22 percentage points. Third grade reading saw a 17-point increase compared to last year.
In case you missed it
Statewide, seventh grade math has the lowest rate of students receiving a passing grade, at just 48%. According to a TEA news release, “the decline observed in the Grade 7 math assessment reflects the subset of students taking that test, as far more 7th grade students are taking the Grade 8 math assessment than ever before.”
In 2026, 1,094 HCISD students took the seventh grade math STAAR, compared to 1,872 who took the eighth grade math STAAR.
Some context
The TEA uses STAAR results to calculate a district’s accountability score, which is typically released in August. For the 2024-25 academic year, HCISD received an “B” rating, scoring 80 out of 100 possible points. The district has received a “B” rating every academic year since 2022-23.
Out of 25 rated campuses, four received an “A” rating, eight earned a “B,” 12 earned a “C,” and one received a “D.”
Check it out
Families can access their child's STAAR scores using their unique access code.
Results from fifth and eighth grade science will be released next month, according to the TEA.
