Texas Approves NWEA Assessments for Schools
The Texas Education Agency provisionally approved two NWEA assessments for use by Texas school districts under House Bill 8.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Secondary Education
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The Texas Education Agency provisionally approved MAP Growth and MAP Reading Fluency for use by Texas school districts. NWEA announced the provisional approvals on November 4, 2026.
Why it matters
The approvals allow districts to select alternative assessments as Texas moves away from STAAR toward a new statewide system. The shift affects how student progress is measured across the state's school districts.
The provisional approval covers the 2027-28 and 2028-29 school years, the first two years of the new House Bill 8 assessment system. Approval remains contingent on TEA's requirements for continued approval.
The players
Texas Education Agency
The state agency responsible for public education in Texas, which reviewed and provisionally approved the assessments under House Bill 8 and House Bill 2.
NWEA
A nonprofit assessment organization that develops MAP Growth, a flagship assessment used by thousands of districts nationwide.
The details
The review considered alignment to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, early literacy and dyslexia requirements, and Spanish-language availability. MAP Reading Fluency, aimed at students in grades K-3, uses speech recognition technology to measure oral reading fluency and decoding.
Timeline
November 4, 2026: NWEA announces the provisional approvals.
2027-28 school year: House Bill 8 assessment system begins.
2028-29 school year: Provisional approval period ends for the second covered year.
Legacy Context
House Bill 8 replaces the STAAR program with the Student Success Tool and shifts Texas toward a through-year assessment approach. The NWEA approvals are the first step in allowing districts to choose TEA-approved alternatives for beginning-of-year and middle-of-year testing.
Texas school districts gain the option to select NWEA assessments for beginning-of-year and middle-of-year testing under the new system. Districts planning for the 2027-28 school year can evaluate whether these tools fit their instructional needs.
The takeaway
Districts preparing for Texas's new assessment system should review TEA-approved alternatives well before the 2027-28 school year. Early planning can help educators align testing schedules with instructional goals.
What happens next
The provisional approvals cover the 2027-28 and 2028-29 school years, when House Bill 8's new assessment system begins and the approval period ends.
Further reading
Explore more on Secondary Education for context on how Texas districts are preparing for the new assessment system.
More information
Learn more on the NWEA Texas educator solutions page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Star Local.
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