TEXAS, USA — Students across Texas are in the midst of STAAR testing, and some families are electing to not have their student take the assessment. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recognizes the staar exam as a state-mandated test, but still some students aren't taking it.
6 News reached out to the TEA about the 'opt out' initiative that is picking up steam across the state. A spokesperson provided this statement:
"There is no parental opt-out for STAAR assessments. Federal and state laws require that all eligible students participate in STAAR. While state law provides families with the right to temporarily remove their child from a class or school activity if they have an objection to participation, the law does not allow families the right to specifically exclude a child from testing."
Dr. Michael Novotny, Superintendent of Salado Independent School District, said he hasn't had any cases of families trying to opt their student out of the STAAR in several years, but he's no stranger to the effort and either is the rest of Texas school districts. He said it still isn't legal.
"The state requires all kids that are enrolled to take the test and requires us to administer the test to all the kids are at school and so it's really not an official option," Novotny explained.
However, the head Salado Eagle acknowledged some families could choose to keep a student home on testing day, but he explained to 6 News that there is a two-week window for make up days that the student would also have to miss to avid the test.
Novotny also said that if a student 'opted out' of taking the STAAR test by leaving it blank or selecting random answers, it could hurt the school district in a way.
"It would affect us from an accountability standpoint," he said.
Angela Holmes, a Central Texas mom of a seventh grader, has decided to opt her daughter out of the STAAR assessments for two years now. She said her 13-year-old already has a lot of anxiety as a teenager, and the tests just pile it on.
"The amount of pressure that they're putting on these kids to not only just take this assessment, but make sure that they're excelling -- it's just a constant insane amount of pressure on these kids," Holmes told 6 News.
Holmes said she did receive some push back from the Central Texas school district about opting her child out of the assessment, but thanks to other moms across the state, she knew there would be no repercussions.
"We sent a formal letter to the principal and our counselors and then they did respond, and then we sent an additional letter letting them know what our plan is," Holmes explained. "She knows right now just to tap through and submit the assessment."
There is a Facebook group made up of Texas parents who are working on taking action against STAAR, with most of them efforting to opt their students out of the test. As of April 22, there were more than 80,000 members in the Facebook group.
Novotny said although the STAAR assessments aren't the most important thing in the process, it does provide feedback about how the student, the teachers, and the district is doing. It also can help prepare students for what's to come.
"It's good practice at the low stakes level, third through eighth grade, and preparation for the higher stakes when they get to high school," Novotny added.
Parents like Holmes say opting students out is about sending a louder message, too.
"I wish our schools put as much effort and passion into helping our kids out in other productive ways than just a single assessment," she added.