Beto O鈥橰ourke鈥檚 vows to cancel the STAAR test are untenable since state and federal law preclude him from eliminating the standardized testing program on his own.
In appeals to students, teachers and education activists, O鈥橰ourke 鈥� the Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate 鈥� has repeatedly promised to do away with the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness if he鈥檚 elected governor in November. O鈥橰ourke considers the standardized tests a waste of valuable teaching time and a drain on state education funds, a claim that many education advocates have made for years.
鈥淵ou told me that these high-stakes, high-pressure standardized tests in no way effectively measure the potential of that child or the effort that you are expending on her behalf,鈥� O鈥橰ourke said during a campaign rally held at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches this week. 鈥淪o when we win we鈥檙e going to cancel the STAAR test in the state of Texas.鈥�
But at least some of the tests are federally required. The Every Student Succeeds Act, signed into law by former President Barack Obama, also a Democrat, requires states to administer annual tests in reading and math in the third through eighth grades and once in high school.
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Supporters of standardized tests say the exams provide teachers with valuable information on student progress and increase transparency for families. The modern national requirement for the standardized testing system was first put in place by former President George W. Bush when he signed the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002.
However, standardized testing has long faced backlash from advocacy organizations and teachers, who say the high stakes put undue pressure on students and teachers and distract from a school鈥檚 purpose.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a waste of taxpayer dollars,鈥� Texas State Teachers Association spokesperson Clay Robison said in an email. 鈥淪tandardized testing in public schools should be used for diagnostic purposes, not for keeping score and accountability reasons.鈥�
Texas goes beyond the federal requirements by requiring students to take a science test and a social studies test in eighth grade. High school students take subject-specific tests at the end of the year, and the state ties the test results to accountability scores and grade promotion.
But to eliminate these state requirements, O鈥橰ourke would need support from the Legislature.
鈥淚鈥檇 love for Beto to make this a real centerpiece because I think we鈥檙e ready to make a shift in the state of Texas,鈥� said Angela Valenzuela, a professor in education policy at the University of Texas at Austin. While he can support current efforts to eliminate the extra state requirements, 鈥淗e can鈥檛 get rid of the federally required tests.鈥�
O鈥橰ourke鈥檚 campaign team clarified in a Thursday email that even though O鈥橰ourke cannot singlehandedly get rid of the test, he鈥檇 align the state with federal requirements and remove high-stakes consequences.
鈥淭here is nothing in federal law that requires states to use test results punitively toward students,鈥� said Beto for Texas spokesperson Tori Larned. 鈥淲hile standardized tests serve as critical measures to identify student learning gaps and inform classroom instruction, they should never be the only tools used for grade advancement or high school graduation.鈥�
Larned added that O鈥橰ourke would require an independent evaluation of the validity, readability and instructional sensitivity of the STAAR test to guarantee its fairness.
Historically, students in Texas have had to pass the reading and math tests to advance to sixth or ninth grade, and high school students have had to pass their tests to graduate. The Texas Education Agency also uses the test results to generate grades, from A through F, for each school. Schools that receive 鈥淒鈥� or 鈥淔鈥� ratings can face sanctions, including state takeover.
Lawmakers temporarily eliminated the grade retention requirement during the last legislative session and required districts to offer tutoring to any student who doesn鈥檛 meet grade-level expectations.
In 2020, the U.S. Department of Education allowed states to apply to waive the tests due to the coronavirus pandemic, but states resumed testing in 2021.
Some lawmakers have called on Republican Gov. and the state education department to cancel tests this year as well. State Sen. , a San Antonio Democrat, wrote in a January to the governor that the STAAR tests are 鈥減oorly designed鈥� and 鈥渙ut of sync with learning standards.鈥�
Abbott鈥檚 office referred questions about the exams to his campaign team. They did not immediately respond to questions about whether the governor agrees with O鈥橰ourke on eliminating the test.
Texas is one of only 11 states in the nation that require high school exit exams for graduation.
Disclosure: Texas State Teachers Association and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune鈥檚 journalism. Find a complete .
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