Lawmakers Seek To Cancel STAAR Testing For 2020-2021 School Year

ODESSA, TX -- As school districts continue dealing with the struggles of providing online and in-person instruction amidst a pandemic, Texas lawmakers are calling for the cancellation of STAAR testing.

Earlier this year, the Texas Education Agency waived the test for the 2019-2020 school year as students were forced to transition to virtual learning.

“If COVID-19 was the reason to cancel the STAAR test for the 2019-20 school year, then there should be no question about whether or not to cancel the test for the 20-21 school year,” said  State Representative Brooks Landgraf. “As I’ve said before, I am adamantly opposed to testing for the sake of testing, and that is exactly what will occur if the STAAR is not canceled again.”

According to Landgraf and several other lawmakers, they are calling for the TEA to do the same for the 2020-2021 school year.

“I’m thankful so many of my colleagues in the Texas House agree that administering the STAAR test this school year is a bad idea,” Landgraf said. “It is abundantly clear that COVID-19 has presented our educators, our students, and their families with unique obstacles that have completely changed the dynamics of the school year, and our state’s policy must reflect this reality in our schools.”