Tag: isd

Opt Out Wall of Shame – The Districts

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Nominate your district: txedrights@gmail.com

Round Rock ISD

In order to entice a refusing student to take STAAR, an assistant principal told a 5th grade student that she had just spoken to his mother who had called and wanted him to take it.  The child was only at school because the mother had called and asked if there were makeup tests that day.  After putting her on hold, the office told her there were no makeup.  The school denied that she ever called, but was confronted with cell phone records detailing the call. (2014)

From 2020 to 2022, the district has given incorrect information to parents about the use of substitute assessments to meet EOC graduation requirements, even featuring the false information on its website.  Emails to the district’s general counsel complaining of the errors have not produced any change.

Medina Valley ISD

Upon hearing that a parent might not let her 3rd grader take STAAR, the teacher first advised the child that she had no choice and would have to take STAAR.  After the parent told the child that wasn’t true and just to direct the teacher to speak with the parent.  The teacher told the child that her mother would be arrested if the tried to help the child avoid STAAR. (Fall 2019)

Opt Out Hall of Fame – The Districts

Written by admin on . Posted in STAAR | EOC Testing. 1 Comment

Updated: 2/14/22

Waco ISD

The district worked with parents to create on campus alternate activities to STAAR testing.

Houston ISD

Created a district refusal procedure that promises no adverse action against students for opting out.

Austin ISD

Created in office refusal for opt out kids, allowing them to refuse assessment with parent witnessing, and return to class on the first makeup day.  This was a negotiated agreement after parents retained counsel.

Peaster ISD

A campus principal called an opt out parent whose kid was on campus on a make up day to let the parent know that they needed to pick the child up to avoid having the assessment presented to the child.  Recently, the Superintendent called our Gov. Abbott’s campaign rhetoric on parent’s rights noting that his administration had never supported a parent’s right to opt out of STAAR and calling for the elimination of STAAR based accountability.

 

TPERN Praises Aledo ISD Reconsideration

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Following publication of the “monetary fines” letter on txedrights and extensive discussion on social media, the administration at the Aledo ISD elementary school that conceived the program has revisited the punitive approach and decided instead to implement the program with a focus on encouraging students.  TPERN is pleased to see that the program has been reconsidered and modified to be non-punitive in nature.  We hope this incident gives occasion to reflect upon how the pressure to perform on STAAR impacts the learning environment for principals, teachers, parents and students alike.

Prep or Pay: Aledo ISD Threatens Fines for STAAR Prep

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According to parents, an Aledo ISD 4th grade class has been told to prep or pay!  While this is extreme (and in fact may reflect some type of fake reward money), the obsession with testing and test prep leaps off the page at you.  Consider this the next time someone tells you that STAAR prep isn’t driving the curriculum:

  1. Every day  a seven question prep packet goes home to the student.  Every single day.  During the course of the run up to STAAR, you can expect almost 200 STAAR prep questions from math class alone, without respect to any homework based on the actual curriculum!
  2. Some of the questions, which will be graded, will come from material that has not been taught yet!! How is this sound educational practice?  If we want a student to learn something, TEACH IT!
  3. Extensive classroom time will be taken up going over STAAR prep questions every single day! 
  4. Consequences attach to not completing the STAAR prep.  Because nothing says learning like threats and punishment.  Remember, monetary fines!
  5. Parents are instructed not to help their kids and in fact to specifically deny help.  Why?  Because that is how the STAAR does it.

The mindset behind these spring STAAR policies is as warped as the curriculum.  Aledo ISD should denounce this ill conceived plan and focus on learning, not prepping for standardized assessments.

Please see the update here.

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