Superintendent warns House Bill 8 will sharply increase required state testing; urges families to contact lawmakers

At Klein ISD's virtual State of the District, Superintendent Dr. Jenny McGowan warned families that a recent change in state law will substantially increase the number of state-required assessments for third- through eighth-grade students.

"So from 15 to 51," McGowan said when explaining House Bill 8's testing redesign, adding that the change comes from requiring beginning-of-year, middle-of-year and end-of-year state assessments in many grades. "Those assessments are going to be, for third through eighth graders. They'll take a beginning of the year assessment, a middle of the year assessment, and an end of the year assessment."

McGowan said House Bill 8 was passed in the most recent legislative cycle and has been signed into law; she said the testing changes will take effect in the 2027'28 school year. She urged families concerned about the testing burden to contact state representatives and senators ahead of the 2027 legislative session.

Asked what parents can do, McGowan said the district will continue to identify legislative priorities and "ask for your support in speaking to our representatives, to our senators, and to those that are elected to represent us about the challenges and the burdens that this amount of state testing puts on our young people."

McGowan cautioned that while testing can measure learning, the district will continue to emphasize multiple measures of student success and asked families to engage with elected officials if they want to seek changes to the law.

The town hall did not include new district policy to alter test administration; McGowan's remarks were a description of the state law's impact and an appeal to families to participate in advocacy.