
One of our union’s perennial priorities is ending the state’s over-reliance on high-stakes, standardized testing and assessment.
Latest News on Testing
- Gov. Greg Abbott needs to follow Florida governor’s lead and cancel standardized testing in Texas
- Florida announces end to standardized testing; will Texas follow?
- STAAR test scores are low — as we all knew they would be
- 2020-2021 high school seniors eligible for graduation by committee decision
- Promising bill limiting STAAR testing is on the move
The Problem with STAAR
In or out of a pandemic, the STAAR has numerous design flaws and a history of being misused. Research shows that large-scale standardized tests cannot provide student-level information and should not be used for high-stakes decision-making.
At best, a test like STAAR may give a principal or teacher an idea of how students are understanding concepts. At worst, these improperly applied test scores are used to evaluate teachers, principals, schools, and school districts.
STAAR test results are boiled down to simplified A-F labels that the state can use to take over public schools and politicians can use to justify privatization efforts.
What Education Experts Say About STAAR
In February 2021, Reps. Gary VanDeaver and Alma Allen joined standardized testing experts and union members to discuss the burden of STAAR.