The Texas Education Agency recently announced that the state will move forward with The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) program, even though the coronavirus pandemic has hindered education – drawing criticism from teachers, parents and lawmakers across the state.
All public school students in Texas undergo STAAR, the state's testing program based on state curriculum standards in the core subjects of reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies. The program was first implemented in 2012.
Students begin STAAR testing in third grade, which supporters say can help poor-performing students before advancing in the school system without meeting basic curriculum standards. Test scores are also used to evaluate teachers and factor into the state’s A-F school grading system.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told the state Board of Education this week that, in fact, STARR testing will return in the 2020-21 school year. This comes following Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to cancel STAAR tests when the COVID-19 crisis hit in March and subsequent federal government decision to waive standardized testing requirements across the country.
Tera Collum is the executive director of the Travis Institute of Educational Policy, an education watchdog organization with the stated mission to improve the education of all Texas students and empower teachers with support, education and guidance.
Collum explained that she feels the Texas Education Agency is making a poor decision to reinstate STAAR testing in the 2020-21 school year. She didn't mince words when asked if the move benefits students.
"Absolutely not. We do not know what the new school year will bring," Collum told the Lone Star Standard. "The best thing for students is to wait one more year to give them more time to catch up to where they need to be."
She said that there are several concerns for students and teachers related to STAAR testing and it is unfair to ask Texas schools, educators, and students to be held to the rigors of testing standards while adjusting to, and recovering from, a disrupted learning environment.
"I think the main concern is that students may have lost a lot of skills. Then we will have students with high levels of anxiety and lower self confidence," Collum said. "Also, these students will also be suffering from the anxiety from the home if there's uncertainty or issues there. The more compassionate thing to do is to wait until the 2021-2022 year. Or even better, to take this opportunity to eliminate the STAAR test all together."
Texas State Teachers Association President Noel Candelaria lobbied for the organization's opposition to the testing in March, when it was canceled, and favors cancellation in the 2020-21 school year.
“Even under normal circumstances, STAAR exams and test preparation waste millions of tax dollars and rob students and teachers of valuable classroom time for real teaching and learning. It is inexcusable to require them to shoulder the STAAR burden during a health emergency," Candelaria expressed in a written statement to the governor.
