Texas lawmakers feel that the STAAR test is unnecessary this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Texas Education Agency, the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness is a standardized test used to assess student knowledge on state-mandated curriculum. While some have been opposed to standardized testing for years, students, parents, teachers, and Texas lawmakers have concerns about this year's test due to the many changes in learning environments due to COVID-19.

This year parents took on a lot. Parents themselves were dealing with shifts in their working environment, and then also became their children's school teacher in a blink of an eye. Some districts chose to opt in completely to remote learning, while others have switched between on-campus learning and remote learning depending on COVID-19 cases.

Of course, academics change regularly, and it's not hard to see why parents and students have struggled to keep up. State representative Diego Bernal understands the frustrations that Texans have endured, and doesn't believe STAAR testing should be necessary this year. He's penned a letter stating as much to Mike Morath, the commissioner for the Texas Education Agency.

“At most, any administration of the STAAR exam during the 2020-2021 school year should only serve as a diagnostic instrument to see where our students stand academically as opposed to an assessment instrument to determine district and campus sanctions under the current A-F accountability system,” Bernal stated in his letter.

67 other Texas lawmakers agree, and signed their name in support on the letter.

What are your thoughts on STAAR testing this year? Should the tests go on as usual, or should the TEA skip the 2020-2021 school year?

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