This week the Texas House Public Education Committee heard testimony on a bill that would decrease the number of standardized tests faced by students in the Lone Star State.
At first blush, the idea seems like it might carry broad support among Texas educators. But, as The Texas Tribune reports,teacher opinions on the idea actually constitute a mixed bag.
Some teachers have pointed out that the tests are useful to compare data between different districts. This can be especially useful in determining when disadvantaged students need more aid.
One teacher, Stefanie Garcia of Keller, noted that her students failed the STAAR exam because they simply weren’t on track to move up a grade level. “Before [the tests],” she said, “no one noticed that they could not really read and write.”
Garcia insisted that the tests are an important tool for ensuring that students don’t slip through the cracks.