An state education commission has recommended several changes related to assessment and accountability in Texas schools. A state education commission has recommended several changes related to assessment and accountability in Texas schools.[/caption] After ongoing debates over whether the STAAR test should be removed as a requirement for Texas students, it appears the test will remain for the time being. The Texas Commission on Next Generation Assessments and Accountability—an education commission tasked with providing recommendations to Gov. Greg Abbott on statewide education issues—was considering replacing the STAAR tests with a series of smaller computerized tests that would be administered over the course of the year. However, in a July 27 meeting, commissioners instead opted to recommend year-round computerized testing as a method to provide feedback to teachers as opposed to a replacement for STAAR. The computerized tests would not be considered standardized tests or affect a students’ ability to advance to the next grade. In a 9-1 vote with five members absent, the commission approved an updated draft of recommendations. It will officially submit a list of recommendations, curated over the past year and a half, to Gov. Abbott on Sept. 1. Recommendations are not binding. During the July 27 meeting, several commissioners acknowledged that a large portion of Texas schools would not have the technology necessary to replace STAAR with digital exams. Commissioners also hesitated to add undue additional days for testing to Texas schools’ schedules. “I don’t want to trade one or two days of testing for 15 or 20 days of testing,” said Jimmie Aycock, R-Killeen, chair of the House Public Education Committee. “We want to be careful that we don’t send a message that says we want to expand testing… the general emphasis is that we want to refine and decrease the overall days of testing.” Cy-Fair ISD trustee Bob Covey echoed this opposition to additional days of testing. “We have what we call District Progress Monitoring, and those tests let teachers and administration know what they need to work [on] with the students,” he said. “I hate the possibility that they would push more tests on us.” Andrew Kim, the panel’s chairman and superintendent of Comal ISD outside of San Antonio, said none of the board members are recommending the immediate elimination of STAAR. However, several commissioners said the proposed changes this year could serve as the first step to replacing STAAR tests in the future. Covey expressed excitement at the possibility that STAAR might be eliminated, calling it a futile test. The commission plans to recommend nine total solutions, including the following:
  • Implementing year-round computerized assessments;
  • Allowing the commissioner of education to approve locally developed writing assessments to replace STAAR writing assessments in grades four and seven;
  • Streamlining Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and limiting the amount of material students are tested on;
  • Using state funds to administer college-readiness tests to measure how schools are preparing students for college and careers;
  • Aligning state accountability requirements with federal education law to further develop an A-F accountability system for identification of underperforming schools;
  • Placing great emphasis on student progress over student achievement when evaluating school performance.
In the July report, the commission also recommended five areas that could require further study, including the further exploration of replacing STAAR with national assessments that also align with state education standards. The commission was formed in 2015 by House Bill 2804 and is comprised of fifteen members, including education officials and others appointed by the governor and lieutenant governor. It will be abolished on Jan. 1, 2017. The commission’s full report and video footage of the July 27 meeting can be downloaded on the TEA website.