The Opt Out movement has grown steadily with parents in Grades 3 through 8 learning to navigate the intricacies of opting out, declining accelerated instruction and handling grade placement committee meetings for Grades 5 and 8. However, the usual thought process has always been that when the kids hit high school, the stakes rise. Now, […]
STAAR Madness: TEA or Local Decisions
This is a tough time for Opt Out parents because the assessment is happening and there is a lot of pushback. When complaints come, the natural response is to blame the TEA. But is that fair? Is that accurate? Everybody here understands that the TEA tells schools how to administer the assessment and to score […]
Real STAAR Tips: How “Hustle Mom” Comes Up Short
Dallas area blogger “Hustle Mom” aka Dawn Monroe has come up with a handy dandy list of tips for parents to help their kids excel on STAAR, and at the same time makes a gratuitous (or not) plug for family-centered McDonalds. Despite apparently recognizing that “[t]eachers and students prepare for this test all year long, […]
Opt Out Wall of Shame – The Districts
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 […]
Opt Out Hall of Fame – The Districts
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 […]
Preparing for the Two Week Online Window
Parents intending to opt out this spring by staying home during the assessment window need to be aware of the expanded window for online administration. This year, the TEA expanded the window for online administration to two weeks for most STAAR assessments. The paper administration window continues to be one week. Be aware that if […]
Texas Republican Files Bill to Eliminate STAAR Uses
Website Article (CBS 7) Odessa Republican Brooks Landgraf has filed HB 736 which would eliminate the use of STAAR for promotion, graduation and accountability purposes. Stay tuned for information on how we can help!
TPERN Praises Aledo ISD Reconsideration
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 […]
Prep or Pay: Aledo ISD Threatens Fines for STAAR Prep
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 […]
Summer School Action Plan
Thanks to Sherry Neeley who has put together this seven step action plan if you get a notice of summer school. TPERN notes are in italics. 1) Send the summer school letter This should be your first response whenever the school tells you unilaterally that your 5th or 8th grader has to go to summer […]