Yesterday the Texas Education Agency announced that it will not rate schools this year, but students will still be required to take the STAAR tests in the spring if they are in school for face-to-face instruction.

Yesterday the Texas Education Agency announced that it will not rate schools this year, but students will still be required to take the STAAR tests in the spring if they are in school for face-to-face instruction. No virtual STAAR test will be administered. Previously, TEA waived STAAR promotion standards for grades 3-8, but high school students who have not passed enough STAAR tests will not graduate in May. 

The Texas Tribune reports that "for months, school superintendents and advocates have called on state leaders to cancel the STAAR exams, which are administered to students in third through 12th grade each year. In November, lawmakers asked the TEA to ask for a federal waiver to cancel the standardized test.

But our governor is continuing with business as usual and commanding students to take a STAAR test in the middle of a pandemic.  It makes no sense. As Zeph Capo, Texas AFT president said yesterday, "Our educators and students have lost enough instructional time over the course of this pandemic, why waste more of it prepping for a test that was never designed as a diagnostic tool?" 

Even longtime advocates for standardized testing and accountability are recommending against STAAR testing this year stating that they have "serious doubts whether testing under these (pandemic) conditions can produce an accurate picture of what students know." 

It is time to push back against bad policy.

If you have a child in grades 3-8, learn more how you can boycott the STAAR test at bit.ly/optouttexas 

On Monday, Dec 14th, join parents, teachers, students and community at an outdoor socially distanced protest to tell the governor and state officials to take COVID seriously and protect teachers and children, to fund our schools and to suspend STAAR.

Meet at 4:45 pm on Monday, Dec 14, at 6515 Irvington (HCDE,an ally.) This will be a short outdoor socially distanced demonstration/vigil and you can also participate at the event from inside your car, watching FB Live on the CVPE group page. Bring signs to hold or put on your car. RSVP here.