Texas Parents' Educational Rights Forum

One of the consequences schools often try to impose on students who fail STAAR or are not meeting standards on test prep is to pull them out of their electives and put them in test prep classes.

How do I refuse tutoring/AI outside of school times:

http://www.txedrights.net/resources/opt ... struction/

My school took away my electives and replaced them with STAAR classes:

http://www.txedrights.net/resources/opt ... electives/

So I was told that if my daughter fails 5th grade staar test that she can't join the band next year in middle school or even play and instrument, is this correct?

Dianaw81 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 10:51 am So I was told that if my daughter fails 5th grade staar test that she can't join the band next year in middle school or even play and instrument, is this correct?

I was about to copy some of the better answers from the Facebook page for the archive here, but I can no longer find the question. Did you delete it?

Yes I did delete it because I thought I had to remove it, I'm sorry I'm new posting here

Dianaw81 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 4:48 pm Yes I did delete it because I thought I had to remove it, I'm sorry I'm new posting here

OK, well I hope you read the responses there! First, there is no requirement that kids lose electives if they don't pass STAAR. The law requires they receive accelerated instruction. It does not require that this be in the form of full class period prep classes. When a school decided to deny a kid their electives and put them in a prep class, this is a local decision which means it can be changed, ignored, or overridden locally as well. It is in no way, shape or form a requirement. Accelerated instruction can be given before school, after school, in homeroom, during lunch, via online modules or any number of ways that does not require loss of electives.

Above, you will find the links to refusing loss of electives. You may have to fight with the school but be persistent. Also, at the end of the 5th grade year, if the child has not passed STAAR, whether because of scores or opt out, there will be a Grade Placement Committee meeting to promote the child. BY LAW, it is the GPC that decides what the accelerated instruction for the next year will be. At this meeting, have "no loss of electives" or "AI will not be scheduled in a way to interfere with band" or some form of this put into the GPC minutes. By law, this will control, even though, again, you may have to fight about it.