Raise Your Hand Texas’ Statement on the Final Outcome of House Bill 4

Raise Your Hand Texas commends the Texas House for advancing House Bill 4 (HB 4), a bipartisan proposal to overhaul the state’s student assessment system, which passed from the House 143-1. The bill reflected what parents, teachers, and students across Texas have said for years: The current system is not working, and real change is needed.

House Bill 4 would have moved Texas away from outdated high-stakes tests and toward a more meaningful approach that better reflects student learning. We strongly support the bill’s use of nationally normed assessments to track student progress and inform instruction throughout the school year, as well as the inclusion of additional accountability indicators to ensure that elementary and middle schools are not graded solely on the results of a single test on a single day.

Although lawmakers were unable to reach a final agreement, the need for reform remains urgent. We appreciate the Senate’s willingness to engage in conference committee discussions, and we look forward to continuing this important work during the interim and again in the 90th Texas Legislative Session.