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.” […]

The hypocrisy of the schools in their campaign to intimidate parents into subjecting their kids to the STAAR assessment is truly remarkable.  Any outside observers would have to be left scratching their heads.  On the one hand, schools tell parents, sometimes in forceful, nasty letters, that the law does not let parents refuse the STAAR, […]

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 […]

I’ve had it. I am tired of parents reporting threats and intimidation tactics by schools that are nothing but lies. At first I tried to give the teachers and administrators the benefit of the doubt and think they must just be misinformed. But the reports are coming so hot and so heavy that I am […]

Here is refusal letter a mom from GPISD shared with us! I’d love to see how the school responds to this! Dear (school name protected) Administrators and Teachers: My name is [parent name]. I’m a mother of a 5th grader in GPISD. It was suggested to me that I contact you to discuss my concerns […]

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: […]

If you are asking about Opting Out, as a parent you have already reached certain conclusions. Maybe you believe the STAAR has had a negative effect on curriculum and you can’t support it. Maybe you find it developmentally inappropriate. Maybe you have seen the physical and emotional toll it takes on kids and don’t want […]

How to Opt Out/Decline/Refuse STAAR January 2024 Update: This article has been updated to reflect the practice of the TEA which permits schools to accept parental refusals without placing the assessment in front of the student. In response to a lot of “how do I do this” questions, we’ve put together this step by step […]

Updated January 19, 2021 STAAR season is upon us.  And with it comes the annual posting of opinions, “law” and procedures that people have been told are true or represent a sure path to successful refusal of the assessment.  In this post, we discuss seven common myths that represent things that schools say, that parents […]

Note: the article refers to a single year suspension of Math SSI requirements.  It is left up here as additional examples of schools lying about STAAR.  However, the issue discussed in this article is not applicable to any other year.  That discussion is obsolete. Tonight, I again received a question from a parent whose 8th […]