Why does Texas have to do the STAAR test?

STAAR helps to ensure that Texas students are competitive with other students both nationally and internationally. Another important function of STAAR is gauging how well schools and teachers prepare their students academically.

Is STAAR testing mandatory in Texas?

In general, students must pass (Approaches Grade Level) five STAAR EOC assessments— Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History—to earn a high school diploma from a Texas public or charter school as required in TEC §39.025. 23.

Can you refuse to take the STAAR test in Texas?

Yes. Students are encouraged to do their best on a testing day but are not required to complete the test. All eligible students present at school on a test date must be included in the test administration.

What happens if you fail the STAAR in Texas?

Students who fail to reach the appropriate standard on a STAAR test are required by the state to be provided with accelerated instruction, which usually occurs during the summer.

Can I opt my child out of STAAR testing in Texas?

"There is no parental opt-out for STAAR assessments. Federal and state laws require that all eligible students participate in STAAR.

What to know about Texas' STAAR test

Can parents refuse STAAR test in Texas?

Editor's note: This is part of an occasional series exploring the STAAR test and its impact on Texas education. Parents who do not want their children to take the test may opt to keep them home. According to the Texas Education Agency, no law specifically allows parents to keep children from testing.

How do I refuse a STAAR test?

Check specifics with your school district, but generally, parents write a letter to the superintendent or school principal letting them know that their child will not take part in the specific test (name the test) this year, and ask that the school make arrangements for a productive educational experience for their ...

Does the STAAR test really matter?

STAAR scores are used as a metric for calculating school A-F ratings. STAAR scores are used as a metric for calculating district A-F ratings. Poor A-F ratings can trigger a takeover by the Texas Education Agency of a democratically elected school board.

Can you graduate in Texas without passing the STAAR test?

Do you really have to pass STAAR to graduate? The answer is no. Now, let's be clear. Passing all five EOC assessments is one way a student can meet the requirements for graduation from a public high school.

What percent of students fail the STAAR test?

Elementary and middle-school students across Texas are preparing to take state exams in early May, which will mark their progress after a tough two years of COVID-19 disruptions. Last year's STAAR results detailed significant learning loss, with roughly 37% of students failing math tests and 33% failing reading exams.

Why are people against STAAR testing?

The STAAR Isn't Accurate

Reading passages alone have been assessed to be 2-3 years ahead of the grade level being administered. While the TEA is under pressure to produce results to prepare the next generation of workers for success, the STAAR isn't offering an accurate or fair assessment for student readiness.

Do colleges care about STAAR tests?

Well, yes and no. It depends on your goals. If your desired outcome is for your child simply to attend college, then your child is on the right track. If, however, you have more ambitious goals for your child, such as an elite college or a UC school, you'll need to give further consideration to the STAR test results.

What happens if my kid misses the STAAR test?

What Happens If You Miss the STAAR Test? Students may make up the STAAR tests they missed on the Friday of the testing week. For students in grades 3–8, this is their final chance to pass the STAAR test. Students in high school taking the STAAR EOC exams have three chances each school year to pass the test.

What happens if you fail the STAAR test but pass the class?

If a student passes the course but does not pass the end-of-course assessment, the student may take the test again. However, a student is not required to retake a course just because he or she failed the assessment.

Do private schools in Texas take STAAR test?

Texas private schools and home schools may participate on a voluntary basis in the administration of secure state assessments. These assessments are STAAR grades 3–8 and end-of-course (EOC) assessments, STAAR Spanish grades 3–5, and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS).

What grade do you stop taking the STAAR test in Texas?

STAAR Tests at a Glance

Texas public school students take the STAAR tests in grades 3-8 and high school. STAAR tests are aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) learning standards.

Do you have to go to summer school if you fail STAAR test in Texas?

No district can mandate summer school for a student who has failed or missed the STAAR test. The HISD report card misrepresented the TEA code. The grade placement committee (GPC), not the school district, makes promotion decisions.

What states don't take the STAAR test?

Nebraska is the only state that does not have a standardized test.

Can you fail the STAAR test and still graduate?

Individual Graduation Committee (IGC)

TEC §28.0258 allows a student who has failed no more than 2 of their required EOC assessments to receive a Texas high school diploma if they qualify to graduate by means of an IGC. Students are only required to have attempted the STAAR EOC once in order to qualify for an IGC.

How many people fail the STAAR test?

The year before the pandemic hit, 78% of elementary and middle school students passed their math STAAR tests. Roughly 42% met grade-level standards. At least one-fifth of students failed the math exam across all elementary and middle school grades. This year's batch of data reflects a redesigned STAAR test.

Is the STAAR test hard?

State-ordered study finds STAAR not too hard for young readers. Questions about the reading and writing tests arose after some education advocates pointed to studies showing passages were written above elementary and middle schoolers' grade levels.

Who invented STAAR test?

The test used to be developed by Pearson Education every school year, although the most recent contract gave Educational Testing Service a role in creating some of the tests, under the close supervision of the Texas Education Agency.

Why do parents opt out of state testing?

One parent opting out can protect her own child from test abuse. Many parents opting out together send a unified message that students' time should be spent learning, not filling in bubbles on a test sheet.

Is it possible to fail the STAAR test?

If your child fails the STAAR Assessment, the school will provide some extra help to get them caught up with their classmates. Then, they will be allowed to take the test again.

What are the negative effects of testing students?

Some young students experience “anxiety, panic, irritability, frustration, boredom, crying, headaches, and loss of sleep” while taking high-stakes tests, they reported, before concluding that “high-stakes testing causes damage to children's self-esteem, overall morale, and love of learning.”