Howdy Friends!
As many of you may have heard, Texas?s new standardized tests (the STAAR exams) have brought about some hardships to 9th graders beginning this year. As the end-of-course exams are being initiated, they are slated to constitute 15% of the students? final grade; however, there is a lack of clarity in the statute, leaving districts with questions of how the 15% would be applied. I wanted to update you on legislative efforts to relieve students of these unintended consequences.
During the 82nd Legislature last year, I co-authored and supported legislative relief for excessive testing, while maintaining our state?s commitment to increased rigor in course work, and meaningful assessment of progress and postsecondary readiness (House Bill 500). Although it did not pass the Senate, it provided a reference point for recent discussions between legislative leadership and Commissioner Robert Scott of the Texas Education Agency.
The Legislature?s intent on the matter of preparing our future generation for the significant challenges which lay ahead is clear: while rigorous standards matter, assessment instruments need to be based on core curriculum and course work in order to properly determine progress.
This is why there is a transition period for school ratings as the STAAR is implemented. As this policy applies to schools, so should it apply to students. It never would have been the intent of the Legislature to place our current 9th graders in a difficult situation. Educators, and students, deserve this first year of the STAAR to determine how the exam relates to adopted course plans, and be able to make adjustments from there.
Other legislators are coming to this very same conclusion. The Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Senator Florence Shapiro, has contacted Commissioner Scott to request a one-year deferral under law. This request seems feasible, if we can gather legislative intent agreement from both chambers.
I have also been in contact with the Commissioner, both by phone and letter (attached). At the end of the week, the Chair of the House Committee on Public Education, Representative Rob Eissler, will also request this one-year deferral, therefore making it a consensus action of legislative intent. I have co-signed Chairman Eissler?s letter, along with many other legislators. Indications from the Commissioner are that this deferral will be granted, which is a much more common-sense approach to this transition period.
The Legislature, together with education stakeholders, has made significant strides to increase standards. Those previously adopted policies should remain in place. However, I expect this issue to be revisited in the 83rd Legislature next year in order that meaningful and sensible strategy can be implemented.
Source: http://www.docandersonfortexas.com/?p=225
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