STAAR Scores Show Reading Growth for Texas, Austin Students

Texas elementary and middle school students improved slightly in reading language arts scores this year, but showed spottier performance in math, according to state test results released Tuesday by the Texas Education Agency.

While math scores for third through eighth grade students still lag behind pre-pandemic levels, reading scores have surpassed 2019 rates, according to the data from this spring’s State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness.

The Austin district’s 72,700 students largely mirrored statewide trends, and largely matched Texas students in math and outperformed them in reading scores. However, Austin’s most at-risk students continue to perform far lower than similar students statewide.

The TEA’s release of the third through eighth grade scores Tuesday follows the release last week of high school level STAAR scores. Students most often take STAAR exams in the spring. The tests can be used for identifying children for more targeted learning interventions in the upcoming school year.

Statewide, the proportion of students who met grade level for third grade reading improved from 46% in 2024 to 49% in 2025 and for eighth grade students from 54% to 56%, according to TEA data. Texas third graders who met math grade level standards also increased from 40% to 44% and eighth graders who met grade level increased from 40% to 45%, though performance was spottier in other grade levels, according to the data.

Austin students saw varied improvement in math scores, depending on the grade level.

Math scores improved slightly among third, fourth and sixth grades, but dipped slightly for fifth and seventh grades.

About 45% of third graders met math grade level, with lower rates in the middle school level to 35% for sixth graders and 21% for seventh graders.

From 2024 to 2025, eighth grade scores saw rose from 41% to 47% of Austin students meeting grade level.

Like their statewide peers, Austin students who took the reading test also marked slight gains in scores across almost all grade levels.

Third graders who met grade level rose from 56% to 58% from 2024 to 2025 and eighth graders who met grade level rose from 53% to 58%.

Although the Austin district follows statewide trends for its total student population, its most high-needs student groups tend to lag behind when compared to similar students across Texas.

About half of Austin’s students are economically disadvantaged — a lower proportion than a typical urban district — and 31.4% of the district’s students are emergent bilingual, according to TEA data.

Students taking the Spanish math and reading test also saw slight gains in grades three through five, however these students remained far behind their peers taking the English equivalent and behind other students taking the Spanish test in Texas.

Only 8% to 9% of Austin elementary school students taking the Spanish math test met grade level. Only 12% of third graders taking the Spanish reading test met grade level.

In Texas, students may take the STAAR test in Spanish through grade five, then must test in English.

Economically disadvantaged Austin students also lagged behind their Texas peers.

Across Texas, 34% of economically disadvantaged third graders and 34% of eighth graders met grade level for math, compared to 24% and 22%, respectively, in Austin.

On the reading test, 41% of economically disadvantaged Texas third graders and 45% of eighth graders met grade level, compared to 33% and 33%, respectively, in Austin.

Parents who want to view their child’s scores can visit TexasAssessment.gov and people interested in learning more about their district’s results can visit the txresearchportal.com.