As a parent seeing our public education system circling the toilet bowl I could not sit around any longer and watch the demise of our schools. I have stood up against the STAAR Assessments and will continue to do so until our Texas Education System has made vast strides to get back on track. Today I sent this letter to Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton.
Dear Mr. Paxton,
I write to you today as a concerned parent and Texas tax payer. I am extremely concerned with the TEA’s lack of compliance to Texas state law as it pertains to STAAR Assessments and Accountability Ratings. As you are very aware the 2015-1016 state STAAR Assessments for grades 3-8 did not comply with the state mandated time requirements set forth by law. “The proposed rule 19 T.A.C. §97.1001 should be amended to require that no state assessment instrument may be used in the determination of district or campus accountability ratings unless such assessment complies with the requirements of the Texas Education Code, Texas Administrative Code, and any applicable federal law or regulation.” The TEA should be mandated to follow the laws set forth just as we the citizens are mandated. The Texas Education Agency should not be exempt from the law.
As you are also aware this year STAAR Assessments have been riddled with flaws and mistakes. Mistakes from lost tests/assessments, students being marked in the wrong school districts, questions with NO RIGHT ANSWER and the list goes on. I even quote Mike Morath of the TEA directly “The technical issues experienced today during the online administration of STAAR are simply unacceptable. Such issues undermine the hard work of our teachers and students. Kids in the classroom should never suffer from mistakes made by adults. Educational Testing Service is not new to administering assessments on a large-scale basis, so I cannot accept the transition to a new testing vendor as an excuse for what occurred. TEA also shares in the responsibility in the proper administration of these assessments. As an agency, we did not live up to that commitment. TEA will continue working with our school districts, charters and ETS to address these and any other outstanding issues.” Mike Morath March 29, 2016.
I urge you to take inventory of the TEA and now hold them accountable as they have plagued our school system, our teachers and most of all our children. It is time to listen to the parents, children and superintendents across the state of Texas who have on countless occasions pointed out the flaws with these High Stakes Assessments. This is not a PEARSON or ETS problem. It is a TEA problem and therefore they, as well as, our LEGISLATURE need to be personally held accountable.
I also encourage you and the TEA to also revisit the state assessments for special education. As a parent of a special education child, who is on an IEP, I find it outrageous that a one size fits all testing system has been developed and implemented. To take a child who with special accommodations can maintain an A/B average in the classroom and subject them to assessments that take away their accommodations outlined by 504/IEP is a direct violation of their civil rights. Violating these students 504 and IEP’s can result in loss of funding per the US Dept. of Education.
The Superintendent of my district feels the STAAR has failed; therefore, how can you expect me as a parent to have any confidence in your system? I have attached the letter signed by the superintendents across Region 4 in Texas who outline the numerous flaws in this year’s STAAR Assessments alone.
I am even more disgusted to learn today that you personally signed a response to the lawsuit filed by several parents against the TEA…stating that parents lack standing and have no right to sue the TEA. We as tax payers have the same rights as you. We are expected to follow the laws set forth by the legislators; but, what you are saying is the TEA is above the law and does not have to follow the law. WOW.
This has been a sham on parents, teachers and the children of Texas. Our LEGISLATURE has allowed HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars to go wasted on these irrelevant, illegal and fraudulent ASSESSMENTS and curriculum. $1.1 Billion since 1991 to be exact. It’s time to wake up and admit this standardized testing has not positively impacted public education whatsoever. High stakes testing does NOT belong in the public education system. I believe there are better ways to utilize OUR tax-payer resources to assess the status of campuses and students in meaningful ways because nothing meaningful has come from the current system.
I will vote and continue to mobilize others to vote against every single one of you who endorse this unworthy, illegal system. Our future generations are what’s at stake here and they are too important to stand idle and do nothing to stop this greedy machine of waste, fraud and abuse!
Concerned Parent,
Heidi Bridwell Moore
Tomball, Texas