Applause to Morath for easing off STAAR

It happens so rarely that when state officials actually hear common sense demands from constituents, and act on those concerns, we’re ready to shout hallelujah. So all together now: Hallelujah! On Thursday, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced that students whose parents have kept them home as virtual learners during the pandemic needn’t take the STAAR exam after all.

Last month, the TEA issued guidance rebuffing demands from parents — and, for that matter, this editorial board — to cancel in-person STAAR exams for the year. Our top concern had been the health of the students and their families. After all, these were thousands of children whose parents had specifically kept them at home, often out of concern that the children’s exposure to the virus would put at risk vulnerable individuals in the household. Sending them back to campus for a test seemed foolhardy at best and dangerous at worse.

Thursday’s news that Morath had relented is cause for cheering. He said parents whose children have been learning at home may keep them at home during testing days. The only consequence? That the parents will miss out on whatever value may come from getting the snapshot of student performance that the tests provide.

For many parents across the state, that’s a trade-off they are happy to make. For others, who want their children to take the test, they will have the option to send students to campus, or to whatever testing center schools designate.

Morath had already made one concession, namely that this year the STAAR will carry few of its usual high-stakes consequences for those who do poorly. Neither schools, nor districts, will be graded by the results.

That was a wise step, given how much pressure the pandemic has already brought to the education system.

We’re less supportive of Morath’s refusal to budge on the requirement that high school students take end-of-course exams. Graduating seniors in the class of 2021 will be required to pass them to graduate. That means they’ll have take the exam in person, whether they’re still learning virtually or not.

That sounds unnecessarily risky, and Morath should reconsider that point, too.

But for now, let’s just call a win a win. Responsive leadership deserves to be applauded, whenever it appears.