Responding to pressure from lawmakers, parents and school leaders statewide, Education Commissioner Robert Scott announced today that the Texas Education Agency will defer a rule requiring that new student assessments count for 15 percent of students' final grades.

For the 2011-12 year, it will be left up to school districts whether they count the exams toward final grades or not.

In a statement, Scott said that he decided to delay the rule after receiving statutory clarification from state leaders on the agency's authority to postpone the policy. "I remain committed to public school accountability," he wrote. "The new assessment ...

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