2026 STAAR EOC Results Show Gains Across All Five Subjects
The Texas Education Agency today released results from the 2026 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) End-of-Course (EOC) exams, which measure academic performance in five core high school subjects: Algebra I, Biology, English I, English II and U.S. History.
Results improved across all five subjects in 2026, with the largest gains occurring in Biology and Algebra I. While the results signal continued academic recovery, performance in Algebra I and U.S. History remains below pre-pandemic levels.
Percentage of Students on Grade Level by Subject
“These results are great news for Texas families. It means that more students all over our state are succeeding in their academic coursework. This is meaningful because it means more students are prepared for life after high school,” said Mary Lynn Pruneda, Director of Education and Workforce Policy for Texas 2036. “Texas is on our way to having the best public high schools in the country, and these results show we are headed in the right direction.”
She added, “Grade-level proficiency in foundational subjects like Algebra I and English is more than a snapshot in time. It is a direct indicator of long-term workforce readiness and economic opportunity for Texas students.”
What the STAAR EOC Results Show
Key findings include:
- Biology: 71% of students met grade-level expectations in 2026, up from 62% in 2025 and 63% in 2019.
- Algebra I: 54% of students met grade-level expectations in 2026, up from 47% in 2025. But that comes in below the 62% recorded in 2019.
- English I: 55% of students met grade-level expectations in 2026, up from 51% in 2025. That comes in above the 49% recorded in 2019.
- English II: 60% of students met grade-level expectations in 2026, up from 56% in 2025. That comes in above the 51% recorded in 2019.
- U.S. History: 70% of students met grade-level expectations in 2026, up from 68% in 2025 and below the 75% recorded in 2019.
State Investment in High School
The gains in EOC performance come as Texas continues to invest in college, career and military readiness through recent legislative reforms.
“Our high schools are more important than ever as good jobs increasingly require advanced knowledge and skills. Texas has enacted significant policies to meet this moment, investing in proven strategies that elevate students’ academic experience and prepare them for rigorous college and career-oriented coursework,” said Renzo Soto, Deputy Director of Education and Workforce Policy for Texas 2036. “We’re seeing these investments start to bear success with these results.”
This year’s increase in STAAR EOC performance follows record legislative investment in Texas high schools. In 2025, the Texas Legislature passed HB 2 and HB 120. They targeted investments to increase the rigor of high school coursework and establish clear goals around college and career readiness.
These efforts built on 2023 initiatives to expand access to dual credit coursework and career-aligned credentials that students can earn before graduation.
Recent reforms to the state’s assessment and accountability system also place greater emphasis on college, career and military readiness, reinforcing the importance of high school outcomes to students’ success after graduation.
Additional indicators of the state’s investment in high school readiness include:
- From 2015 to 2024, dual credit enrollment increased by 87%.
- From 2018 to 2024, postsecondary credentials earned in high school increased by 532%.
- In the school year 2022-2023, 56% of ISDs statewide offered advanced placement courses.
Texas is working hard to improve its public education system. Today’s results show that recent investments, legislative efforts and commitment from educators across the state are paying off.
Texas 2036’s full analysis of the 2026 STAAR EOC results is available at texas2036.org/texas-staar-results-2026. Results for STAAR grades 3-8 will be released June 16.