Data Integrity Issues Plague STAAR Testing

Education commissioner cancels June retest dates

"...More bad news for Educational Testing Service, the company that provides the bulk of school..."

June 17, 2016 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Opinion: Why I’m Not Sweating the STAAR Test Anymore

A Texas student explains why standardized testing seems like a big waste of time and money

"...the most? In Texas, this test is called the STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness), which is..."

Dec. 3, 2021 Column by Aina Marzia

Abbott's STAAR Idea

Gubernatorial hopefuls battle it out over education plans

"...Fans of standardized testing are thin on the ground in Texas. That was..."

April 18, 2014 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

STAAR Falls on Texas Schools

Academic assessment tests raises questions of fairness

"...first State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, aka STAAR tests. The big question that now plagues Texas educators..."

June 22, 2012 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

No Quick Answers on STAAR Glitch

District and state officials remain in the dark on STAAR malfunction

"...When Education Testing Service took over administering Texas STAAR tests, it was..."

April 15, 2016 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Not the Brightest STAAR

Under pressure from lawmakers, education commissioner defers 15% grading system

"...Scott announced, "I am modifying the Texas Education Agency's [STAAR] Transition Plan." As a result, the TEA will allow..."

Feb. 24, 2012 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Standardized Testing in Lege Limbo

STAAR results prompt discussion of retesting requirements

"...Ever since the first round of preliminary STAAR test results were released on June 8, Texas parents..."

June 22, 2012 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

The Luv Doc: Testing

Like it or not, you are always being graded – not by your words, but by your actions

"...not be the GRE, the SAT, or even the STAAR (and shouldn't that be spelled correctly, acronym or not?)..."

Aug. 12, 2016 Column by The Luv Doc

The Smartest Kids in the Room

Hint: It may not be the AISD board of trustees

"...Between budget cuts and the unrelenting anti-intellectualism of standardized testing, there is no place for skills like rhetoric and..."

April 29, 2012 News Post by Richard Whittaker

24-Texas Teachers Talk of “Trauma” at TribFest

Educators discuss the challenges of reopening schools, TEA head defends decision to administer STAAR tests

"...TEA has waived the state's standardized STAAR tests as a graduation requirement for students, knowing the..."

Sept. 18, 2020 News Feature by Clara Ence Morse

Texas Senate Education Committee Advances Its Own School Finance Plan

SB 4 would essentially gut the House version of the bill

"...could lead to more emphasis placed on high stakes testing, House Public Education Committee chairman Dan Huberty, R-Houston, took..."

May 1, 2019 News Post by Austin Sanders

Amid COVID-19 Spread, AISD Benchmarks Its Future

District changes dozens of its performance measures

"...withdrew an amendment about assessing special ed students with non-STAAR tests. However, Elizalde was concerned with the potential of..."

Nov. 20, 2020 News Feature by Clara Ence Morse

TEA Delays 'End of Course' Requirement Another Year

15% rule punted for another year

"...The beleaguered and widely criticized STAAR testing system takes another hit today as Commissioner of..."

Nov. 30, 2012 News Post by Richard Whittaker

Building a Path to Literacy

Educators and nonprofits work to close the achievement gap in Dove Springs

"...Above" in State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) testing for reading was 79%. The number of Mendez..."

April 8, 2016 News Feature by Sam Anderson-Ramos

Meet “Lone Star Governance,” the Model Austin ISD Must Now Operate Under

Testing, testing, testing

"...measures – the approved assessments are standardized tests like STAAR and MAP...."

Nov. 24, 2023 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Will Texas Do Better?

Ongoing lawsuits are keeping everything in limbo, but after that …

"...The accountability and testing system will also be under scrutiny. Texas Education Commissioner..."

Dec. 7, 2012 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Headlines

"...Stop the STAAR? While Austin-area students wrapped up 2019's first day of..."

April 12, 2019 News Feature

DOGEing the Texas Education Agency

Conservatives back Dem bill to shrink agency overseeing schools

"...of its core work, like its supervision of standardized testing in the schools. They also criticized the leaders of..."

March 28, 2025 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Headlines

"...STAAR testing company Educational Testing Services was fined $5.7 million..."

Aug. 26, 2016 News Feature

The Challenges of Going Back to School

Parents, teachers, and students share their anxieties over starting the fall semester while COVID-19 is still rampant

"...House Public Education Committee I quit 50% because of STAAR testing and 50% because the [Texas Education Agency] does..."

Aug. 7, 2020 Features Feature

A Declaration of Independence

Zavala Elementary and Principal Sean Fox are succeeding at going their own way

"...Between 2012 and 2013, the percentage of students passing STAAR statewide in all subjects at Level II or above..."

May 9, 2014 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Bill of the Week: Down With Tests, Up With Standards?

Bipartisan starting point for school graduation reform

"...accountability system." It starts by completely overhauling the dreaded STAAR tests, and, most pressingly for families, taking the emphasis..."

Jan. 26, 2013 News Post by Richard Whittaker

Closing the COVID Gap at AISD

Post-pandemic, not enough students can read well. How do we get out of this ditch?

"...of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test, known as STAAR, which had been scheduled to begin in April of..."

March 22, 2024 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Changing Course

AISD shifts to community-based model for prepping younger kids for college

"...since the state is shaking up the high school testing system again. Over at Travis High, counselor Roy Larson..."

Sept. 9, 2011 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Students With Learning Disabilities Should not be Punished

"...to count as 15% of final grades for students ["STAAR Falls on Texas Schools," News, June 22]. The “15%..."

June 27, 2012 Postmarks

Education: 'It's Time To Be Innovative'

Something everyone can agree on: digital classrooms

"...money for technology in education seems to be high-stakes testing, and that controversy unavoidably reached even the keynote speakers...."

March 16, 2012 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Austin ISD Trustees Wonder if Goals Rely Too Much on State Test Results

The board checks another box

"...lingo roughly approximating “satisfactory”) or above on the end-of-year STAAR test will increase from this year’s number of 47%..."

Sept. 17, 2024 News Post by Brant Bingamon

Scott Quitting Texas Education Agency

Controversial schools commissioner to leave July 2

"...and he oversaw the disastrously inept introduction of the STAAR test. Now his last minute road-to-Damascus-style conversion to the..."

May 1, 2012 News Post by Richard Whittaker

No Stars for STAARS

"...Dear Editor, Do I even need to say that STAAR EOC Re-Testing during a pandemic isn’t safe and is..."

Dec. 8, 2020 Postmarks

Local Students Face an Open-Ended Spring Break

School's out for ...

"...Agency also announced earlier this week that the state's STAAR standardized testing would be canceled for the 2019-20 school..."

March 20, 2020 News Feature by Beth Sullivan

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