The Texas Senate on Aug. 27 passed House Bill 8, a wide‑ranging education accountability and testing bill that replaces the current STAAR test with a three‑assessment model and restores social studies and history testing to the state accountability system. The Senate adopted a floor amendment restoring social studies and history tests and then approved final passage; roll calls on the amendment and on final passage were recorded in the transcript.

Senator Bettencourt, the bill sponsor on the floor, described the measure as replacing STAAR with “three shorter assessments — beginning of year, middle of year and end of year” to be phased in starting in the 2027–28 school year and noted the first two tests would be automated at the item level to return results within 48 hours. The sponsor said the end‑of‑year test would be criterion‑based on Texas TEKS, emphasizing the legislation remains grounded in Texas standards.

Floor amendment number 1, offered by Bettencourt, restored social studies and history tests to the accountability system. The amendment passed on a roll call, 22 ayes to 4 nays. Bettencourt and supporters said restoring social studies and history is essential to civic education and civic readiness. The full bill later passed third reading and final passage with roll calls recorded at 21 ayes and 5 nays.

Supporters emphasized quicker feedback for teachers and students, reduced testing time in classrooms, annual A–F accountability ratings, and measures intended to comply with federal requirements for assessment. Opponents on the floor raised procedural or implementation questions in the debate excerpt but the Senate adopted the amendment and voted for final passage.

The transcript records the Senate’s intent to require beta testing and additional preparation time before statewide rollout to refine the assessments. The bill directs the Texas Education Agency and districts on assessment timing and reporting; however, the provided floor excerpt does not include the enrolled bill text or a full fiscal note. The legislative record in the transcript shows the Senate’s approval of a substantial accountability and assessment redesign that sponsors described as returning instructional hours to classroom teaching and delivering faster diagnostic feedback for educators.