Education bill reduces standardized tests

The bill, HB5, won final passage 145-2 March 27 in the Texas House, and is awaiting a debate and vote on the Senate floor.

The omnibus bill carried by House Public Education Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, sought to address mounting concerns over the heavy burdens faced by teachers and students over standardized tests for high schoolers.

"I have crafted this bill with the help of many, many people over a good deal of time," Aycock said. "The emphasis of HB5 is about high school and getting kids ready for graduation, ready for jobs."

The bill's two opposing votes came from Reps. Mark Strama of Austin and Naomi Gonzalez of El Paso, both Democrats.

Strama said he voted against it because, while he believes testing should be reformed, the bill as it is does not push students to their highest potential and risks graduating students before they are ready.

"I'm not saying that defaulting every kid into a college prep program means all kids want or need college prep coursework," Strama said. "But when we presume all kids are capable of college-level work, and start preparing them for it, there is no doubt in my mind we change the futures of some kids whose promise may not otherwise have been recognized."

Bill authors also attempted to make graduation requirements more flexible, allowing students to seek specialized tracks of education and encourage higher graduation rates. The bill would eliminate Algebra II as a graduation requirement and could change other math and science requirements for high schoolers.

State leaders at the beginning of the legislative session promised to reform the state's method of end-of-course testing though the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness system, which critics said forced teachers to focus too heavily on tests.

Read the actual bill, view the actions taken on it and follow its progress through the legislature online at www.legis.state.tx.us.