Stricter STAAR Standards Put on Back Burner

Wary of a jump in failing grades for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam next spring, Texas education officials have opted to postpone a rollout of new and tougher standards for the state-mandated standardized test. Critics claim the delay will have little or no impact on test scores, but policymakers maintain that more time is needed to examine the effects of the change. (The Dallas Morning News)