SAN ANTONIO, Texas — San Antonio-area students posted slight gains in 2025–26 STAAR results compared with the previous year, as several school districts faced continued pressure from Texas accountability ratings tied to academic performance.
The Texas Education Agency uses STAAR scores to measure student mastery of state curriculum standards and to assign A–F ratings to schools and districts. The results also carry consequences for campuses that receive repeated failing grades, which can trigger state intervention or potential takeover.
Several San Antonio-area schools remain under scrutiny after years of low performance, particularly following pandemic-era disruptions that shifted learning online beginning in 2020. The TEA has required turnaround plans for roughly 30 campuses in the region, including 18 schools in the San Antonio Independent School District.
SAISD deputy superintendent Shawn Bird said STAAR results represent only a limited snapshot of student learning and should not serve as the sole measure of school performance.
“It’s one day, it’s a snapshot of one day,” Bird said. “If a kid’s having a bad day, they may not do well. Doesn’t mean that they don’t know this stuff. I think that’s the danger of our accountability system.”
Under Texas policy, schools that receive repeated failing grades risk sanctions, including possible state intervention if district-wide performance does not improve.
Educators said this year’s STAAR results represent a key benchmark for campuses working to recover learning losses and improve outcomes after the pandemic.
