TEA Violates Law; Refuses to Validate Assessments

October 15, 2015
In a decision that surprises absolutely nobody, the Texas Education Agency has announced that it will ignore the recent changes to STAAR assessment imposed by the 84th Legislature.  In HB 743, the legislature required that assessments be shortened, that they occur only over the course of one day, and that they be independently validated.  This […]

TEA Announces Higher Passing Standards; TPERN Smells a Rat

October 5, 2015
TEA Commissioner Michael Williams announced that this year the STAAR “cut scores” will increase as a way of showing enhanced “rigor” in the demands placed on Texas students. Planned phased in increases in STAAR scoring had been delayed since the implementation of the system due to flat results in scores. This last spring we got […]

Was Your Child Forcibly Tested?

April 1, 2015
We have received a disturbing number of reports of students being forced to complete the makeup STAAR via lies and coercion.  We know that schools are required to offer the assessment to the child, but several reports have come in that the child refused the assessment and was told “you can’t write refused on it.” […]

TEA Responds to Letter re Social Media Monitoring

March 27, 2015
In response to TPERN’s inquiry, the Texas Education Agency has provided the following information.  It is reprinted below, but Pearson is not required to monitor social media by contract, and the TEA does not ask them to do so.  The TEA does monitor public social media.  The TEA did not disclose whether Pearson engages in […]

TPERN Requests TEA Clarify Pearson Monitoring of Students’ Social Media

March 18, 2015
Amidst numerous reports of Pearson Education monitoring the internet and social media postings of students taking assessments in the northeastern United States, TPERN has requested that Commissioner Williams disclose to Texas parents the extent to which Pearson is contracted to monitor the social media postings of Texas students.  A copy of our letter is below: […]

Testing Irregularity: Spring ISD Elementary School Communicates Wrong Start Time to Parents

April 23, 2014
On Thursday April 18, 2014, Hoyland Elementary in Spring ISD sent home a form regarding the STAAR testing that would occur on Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday April 23rd. The form stated that there would be no visitors, deliveries, etc. during STAAR testing. School would begin at 7:30 am and state testing would begin promptly […]

Testing Irregularity