Budget Cuts Have Some Calling for STAAR Delay
As Texas school districts brace for budget cuts and layoffs in the coming months, many education advocates are particularly concerned about the state's roll out of a new testing system in 2012.
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, will track student, school and school district performance, replacing the current Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.
With current state budget proposals set to cut public education funding by about $10 billion, some want STAAR implementation delayed to give districts time to recover from the 2011 cuts.
Dax Gonzalez, a spokesman for the Texas Association of School ...
Comments (4)
namoyer
Wipe that smirk of your face, Shapiro; at least until TX fully funds the mandates it forces on local govt. and schools, those mandates/programs/requirements must be suspended, RIGHT NOW!
Linda Cronenberg
As a veteran educator and principal, I want to applaud Mr. Gonzalez. The legislative representatives and senators need to listen carefully to educators and formulate all of their plans based on information from those in the trenches. This is a crisis not only for the educators that are and will be RIFed, but also for the educators and children that will return next year. It is absolutely necessary that we give these groups an opportunity to heal and to become accommodated to the new ways of doing things. To impose a more rigorous testing system at this time is insensitive and ultimately destructive.
John McCoy
Expect some fierce lobbying from the Pearson group, who have a monopoly on tests here in Texas. Pearson, a big Bush money guy, got the no-bid contract to test Texas students years ago and has made untold millions off the tests. I would like to see an accounting of how much money the state has paid this guy and his company for all the tests that have been foisted on schools through the years. Every time the state mandates another test, millions flow from taxpayers into Pearson's pockets. This bunch is not going stand for a delay in implementing this new test. They will be lining the right pockets in the Legislature.
joy bragg
Why is it "no bid"...Who is related to those involved in pushing for the test? Sounds like those pushing the hardest may have money invested. This needs to be "explored". Who is pushing all the contracts towards the Pearson group?