To the Administrator Addressed (TAA) Correspondence

HB 8 Phaseout of English II End-of-Course Assessment Graduation Requirement

Overview 

House Bill 8 (HB 8), passed during the 89th Texas Legislature, 2nd Called Session (2025), and signed by Governor Abbott in September 2025, repeals and replaces the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) beginning with the 2027-28 school year. HB 8 also eliminates the English II end-of-course (EOC) assessment, both in terms of the administration of the assessment and as a graduation requirement, beginning with the 2027-28 school year.

The purpose of this correspondence is to provide guidance regarding the phaseout of the English II EOC assessment as a graduation requirement and district responsibilities during the phaseout period. The final administration of the English II EOC assessment will occur in June 2027. 

English II Graduation Requirement 

Students who graduate before August 31, 2027, must satisfy all applicable graduation requirements, including the English II EOC assessment requirement. Students who do not meet the passing standard for English II may satisfy the requirement through the Individual Graduation Committee (IGC) process, if eligible, or by meeting criteria on an approved substitute assessment. 

For students who graduate after August 31, 2027, the English II EOC assessment is no longer a graduation requirement. However, students enrolled in an English II course in the 2026–27 school year must still participate in the English II EOC assessment as first-time testers. 

Assessment Eligibility and Retesting 

Districts have flexibility regarding retesting opportunities for students who 

  • will graduate after August 31, 2027; 
  • are enrolled in an English II course in the 2026–27 school year; and  
  • have participated in the English II EOC assessment as first-time testers. 

District testing personnel may remove the English II EOC Eligibility and Retester flags in the Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE) for the December 2026, Spring 2027, and June 2027 administrations for students who are not required to pass the English II EOC assessment for graduation. Districts may choose to provide retesting opportunities for these students, but retesting is not required for graduation purposes. 

Individual Graduation Committee (IGC) Considerations 

Students who graduate before August 31, 2027, remain subject to applicable EOC graduation requirements and, if eligible, may utilize the IGC process as authorized under Texas Education Code (TEC) §28.0258. 

Because the English II EOC assessment is not a graduation requirement for students who graduate after August 31, 2027, eligibility for IGC determination for those students is based on having failed to comply with the EOC assessment performance requirements for not more than two out of four courses rather than the two out of five courses that were required previously. 

Student Scenarios 

Student A will graduate before August 31, 2027 

  • The English II EOC assessment remains a graduation requirement. 
  • The student took English II in the 2025–26 school year but did not pass the EOC as a first-time test taker. 
  • The student has met the passing standard for English I, Algebra I, and Biology and is eligible to qualify through the IGC process. 
  • Retesting opportunities remain available through the final June 2027 administration. 

Student B will graduate after August 31, 2027 

  • The English II EOC assessment is not a graduation requirement. 
  • The student will be enrolled in English II in the 2026–27 school year and must participate in the English II EOC assessment as a first-time tester in spring 2027. 
  • District testing personnel may remove the English II Eligibility and Retester flags in TIDE for the June 2027 English II EOC administration. 

Student C will graduate after August 31, 2027 

  • The English II EOC assessment is not a graduation requirement. 
  • The student was enrolled in English II in the 2025–26 school year but has not yet met the passing standard for the English II EOC. 
  • The school district may determine whether to retest this student. 
  • District testing personnel may remove the English II Eligibility and Retester flags in TIDE for the December 2026, spring 2027, and June 2027 English II EOC administrations. 

Additional Information 

Additional information regarding the transition to the Student Success Tool (SST), graduation requirements, and assessment administration timelines will be provided through future communications, trainings, and updates to House Bill 8 implementation resources. 

For questions regarding this correspondence, contact the Student Assessment Help Desk.