Well toss the old HB 4545 letters away!  As we have been discussing, the Texas legislature did a big revamp on HB 4545 accelerate instruction with the HB 1416 amendments.  The most important change was to grant a broader and more explicit opt out right to parents.  After HB 4545, the TEA recognized an opt […]

During this time of the year, we hear so many terrible stories of teachers and administrators lying to parents and harassing them and sometimes their kids over their opt out decisions.  It’s the worst at the high school level, where the “you can’t graduate without STAAR” lie is yielded like a hammer. (Read here to […]

From S.B. Plano ISD This year, I submitted my refusal letter to my 8th grader’s principal and counselor.. Initially, I received “Received” as a reply from the principal. After a couple of weeks, I emailed again asking his preference on what to do with my child on administration days. He told me to fill out […]

Our younger daughter graduated from high school last May. She hadn’t taken a STAAR Assessment since 5th grade. We used substitute assessments, IGC for US History, and she received the Covid waivers. Her US History IGC project was a report about the Civil Rights era. She spun it to include our decision to practice civil […]

HOUSE BILLS AS OF 1/15/2023 The following bills have been filed to date in the Texas House of Representatives. Our position is always subject to change as bills progress and legislative analysis or hearings take place.  If you are aware of any other accountability or assessment bills, please contact us at txedrights@gmail.com HB 748, 1225 […]

Editor’s Note: TxEdRights wishes to thank TTAAS member Jeff Cranmore for contributing this guide for students who were denied a high school diploma due to pre-STAAR testing requirements.  This guide will help TAKS/TAAS students who completed their credits but did not pass one or more exit exams navigate the process to a high school diploma. […]

For years, we have promoted the CVEP (Credit Verification and Evaluation Program) as a proactive way for parents to plan for high school graduation without STAAR.  The CVEP program permits the student to attend and participate in all their local high school activities without ever taking STAAR.  After completing their credits, the student then “transfers” […]

Despite the clear language of the law, some schools have denied parental opt out from accelerated instruction and placed kids into STAAR prep classes.  After you have submitted your opt out, you must follow up if your child has been denied access to electives.  For that reason, we’ve added a new follow up letter to […]

Tired of those school district letters saying “there is no opt out” for accelerated instruction under HB 4545?  Me too.  Because it’s not only a lie, it’s deliberate ignorance.  A minute of reading makes it clear. They’ve got me ranting tonight.

We’ve recently seen a number of communications from schools indicating that they cannot “permit” a parent to opt out of Accelerated Instruction under HB 4545 because it is subject to compulsory attendance.  In this brief video, we look at the actual words of the opt out and compulsory attendance statute and consider an uncontroversial example […]