In response to the growing harm caused by high-stakes standardized testing, Houston parents in HISD and other districts are refusing to allow their children to participate in STAAR testing this month. The expanding boycott signals a new chapter in the fight to reclaim public education from the “test and punish” model that now dominates Texas schools more than ever before.

HISD parent Camille Breaux explains her decision: “Our family refuses to be complicit in a system that prioritizes test scores over our children’s well-being and holistic education. The state-appointed HISD administration has manipulated STAAR data to divide communities—claiming that opting out could jeopardize teachers’ jobs and pay. This is not just misleading; it’s harmful.”

Despite clear guidance from the Texas Education Agency, Superintendent Mike Miles continues to disregard both state law and official TEA policy. Julie Cole, TEA’s Director of Policy and Publications for Student Assessment, has stated “If the student/parent has refused to test during a particular testing window, the district should keep local documentation (a letter from the parent is ideal). The test should be marked ‘S’ for score. The district is not required to put the student in front of the test or a make-up test.”

Lawyer Scott Placek who previously sued the Texas Education Agency about STAAR states, “While parents can't exempt their child from a test, they can opt out of a standardized assessment. The Texas Education Code distinguishes between tests (§26.006) and assessment instruments (§26.005), showing they are not the same. STAAR is consistently called an "assessment instrument" in the law—not a test—because the legislature defines it that way. If they were the same, §26.005 would be unnecessary.”

Miles has instructed administrators to present the STAAR exam to students—even when opt-out letters are on file—forcing children into a deeply unfair position. 

Ruth Kravetz, co-founder of Community Voices for Public Education, states, “As always, his decisions deepen inequality. This is happening primarily at NES and high-poverty campuses. Why make secret policy changes that force nine-year-olds to choose between obeying their parent or a school official? It’s unconscionable.”

HISD parent and former HISD teacher Melissa Yarborough says STAAR has already narrowed education to endless test prep and hit under-resourced communities the hardest—but now, she believes Miles is manipulating the results, too. “It’s not just harmful—it’s dishonest,” she said.

“Miles is claiming historic STAAR gains, but he achieved them by blocking opportunity,” said Dan Dawer, a PhD candidate at UT. “At NES schools, 70% of students were excluded from taking Biology STAAR—only Pre-AP kids tested, while 3,000 others were pushed into not tested remedial science to inflate scores. Eighth grade Algebra I enrollment dropped 17% at NES schools, and some schools like Cullen and Fondren had no Algebra students at all. Miles brags about cutting D/F-rated schools from 121 to 40, but over half of NES campuses actually performed better in 2018 or 2019, when the state initially attempted HISD state takeover. This isn’t progress—it’s data manipulation that deepens racial and economic inequities while slashing access to AP and STEM opportunities.”

HISD parent Karina Quesada states, “I have a senior about to graduate with a distinguished diploma—even though we've boycotted the STAAR since fourth grade. From grades 3–8, STAAR isn’t required for promotion, and parents have the right to decline summer school. This isn’t just about my kids—it’s about how high-stakes testing is being used to fire great teachers and make kids hate learning. School should inspire curiosity, not fear.”