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
- TEA Releases A-F Accountability Ratings for the First Time in 3 Years
- TEA releases 2022 end-of-course STAAR results
- Poll shows Abbott on the wrong side of Texas parents, voters, and teachers with vouchers push
- TEA restarts faulty school ratings while poll shows vast majority of Texans want process to opt-out of STAAR
- Educators, parents, and students renew call to cancel STAAR testing
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.