Best to cancel STAAR — at least, redefine test’s purpose
Students in Texas public schools would be best served by not having to take the STAAR test in the 2020-21 school year.
The state did not administer the high stakes accountability test in the spring. The testing was canceled after the Texas Education Agency sought and received a federal waiver when on-campus schooling stopped in March after the pandemic hit.
TEA needs to do that again in the spring.
As an alternative, we urge Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to allow the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness exams to be used as a diagnostic tool, not as a means of rating school districts. Administrators in the more than 1,000 school districts across our vast state have had their hands full since mid-March when public health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way public education is delivered. Faculty, administrators, staff, students and their parents had much to learn as classes went virtual. There was no time to plan as everyone fell into new roles.
The digital divide in our communities became glaringly visible. Some families were not equipped to make the transition. They had no internet access, leaving many school districts scrambling to provide their students with laptops and hot spot devices so they could continue their studies.
Through herculean efforts on parts of teachers and parents, who suddenly had to take active roles in their students’ learning, some children were able to keep up. Some could not. Some students are not good digital learners. Not all parents have work schedules that allow them to actively participate in their children’s home-based education. Some students’ living conditions were simply not conducive to at-home instruction. The playing field has never been level when it comes to Texas public education, and the pandemic made matters worse for students. Let’s not aggravate the situation.
Earlier this month, San Antonio state Rep. Diego Bernal sent Morath a letter signed by 68 state lawmakers urging the education commissioner to cut school districts a break on STAAR testing in 2021.
The bipartisan group of lawmakers wants Morath to seek the federal waivers necessary to cancel the administration of the annual accountability testing for the current school year.
“At most, any administration of the STAAR during the 2020-2021 school year should only serve as a diagnostic instrument to see where our students stand academically as opposed to an assessment instrument to determine district and campus sanctions under the current A-F accountability system,” the letter said.
Instead of penalizing school districts for not meeting accountability standards, the focus needs to be on addressing the needs of the students who have been left behind academically during the pandemic. The COVID-19 slide is a real problem.
STAAR tests are scheduled in the spring. It is unknown what the COVID-19 situation will be at that point and how many students will actually be on campus or in virtual learning. It’s also unknown how much learning time will need to be made up.
Morath said he plans to apply for waivers on requirements for student participation so there is no punitive action for districts when students do not show up for the test.
That’s not enough.