STAAR testing returns but requirements weakened

Although standardized testing has returned to Texas schools after it was suspended last year due to the pandemic, the requirements of the test have been lowered, including the test accountability components for grade promotions.

The STAAR test was suspended at the beginning of the outbreak of COVID-19, as it was considered an unreliable and also a burdensome method of tracking students' progress, Lone Star Standard previously reported.

The Texas Education Agency has brought STAAR back into the educational requirements for the upcoming spring semester with numerous exceptions. Those exceptions include accountability decisions such as grade promotions that have been linked to STAAR testing, CBS DFW reported.

“The TEA and Commissioner Mike Morath have said accountability will be disconnected from the test this year, and we think that is a smart decision,” Anne Wicks, director of the Education Reform Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute, told CBS DFW. 

Because the 2020-2021 school year has included much virtual learning and non-traditional instruction, Wicks indicated that standardized testing is needed even more to understand which students are falling behind academically. 

“Given the early data we have seen with learning loss with Black students, Latino students, English language learners, students in poverty and special ed students," Wicks said. "I just think we have to pay special attention to how all kids are doing in Texas, so that adults in the system can marshal resources to serve kids and help them get back on track.” 

STAAR testing in 2021 will not rate districts on an A to F scale as in previous years. Before the pandemic, schools and districts were rated on an A to F scale, in part by their STAAR test results, Education Daily Wire previously reported. Morath, in a December news release, announced the A-F ratings would not be issued.

“The issuance of A-F ratings for schools has proven to be a valuable tool to support continuous improvement for our students, allowing educators, parents, and the general public to better identify and expand efforts that are working for kids," Morath said. "But the pandemic has disrupted school operations in fundamental ways that have often been outside the control of our school leaders, making it far more difficult to use these ratings as a tool to support student academic growth. As a result, we will not issue A-F ratings this school year."

Gov. Gregg Abbott suspended STAAR testing in July as a requirement for students being promoted to the next grade during the pandemic, the Lone Star Standard reported. 

"As always, our goal is to provide a high quality education for every Texas student," Abbott said in a statement. "This will be a uniquely challenging school year. This year is about providing students every opportunity to overcome the disruptions caused by COVID-19. By waiving these promotion requirements, we are providing greater flexibility for students and teachers, while at the same time ensuring that Texas students continue to receive a great education – which we will continue to measure with high-quality assessments."