Frequently Asked Questions for Opt Out
Policy
If a parent
has concerns regarding his/her child taking a STAAR exam, what should he/she
do?
The first step for a parent who is concerned about his/her
child taking the STAAR exam is to contact the campus principal. Most concerns
are resolved based upon the conversation between the parent and school.
Principals will provide information that often alleviates specific concerns and
can clarify possible misconceptions.
What does
Texas Education Code state about opting out of state testing?
·Sec. 26.010. EXEMPTION FROM
INSTRUCTION. (a) A parent is entitled to remove the parent's child temporarily
from a class or other school activity that conflicts with the parent's
religious or moral beliefs if the parent presents or delivers to the teacher of
the parent's child a written statement authorizing the removal of the child
from the class or other school activity. A
parent is not entitled to remove the parent's child from a class or other
school activity to avoid a test or to prevent the child from taking a subject
for an entire semester.(b) This
section does not exempt a child from satisfying grade level or graduation
requirements in a manner acceptable to the school district and the agency. Added
by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.
Can Northwest ISD choose to opt out students from TEA policy?
No. Under current TEA policies and state law, local public
school district lack the authority to exempt any student from STAAR testing.
What are the
implications for students missing school on a state testing date to “opt out”?
Students are subject to compulsory attendance and may commit
the offense of failure to attend school, and a parent may commit the offense of
contributing to nonattendance, if the student fails to attend school. (Texas Education Code §§ 25.093, .094)
Makeup Tests: It is important to note that missing school on a single designated
test date will not necessarily cause the student to have missed his or her
testing opportunity. Most tests are administered from a testing “window” set by
TEA. If a student who has been absent returns to school during the testing
window, he or she may be asked to sit for the exam at that time. Makeup test
dates that extend beyond the test window are in place for most STAAR tests.
Can a
student be present at school, but not take the STAAR exam?
Students are encouraged to do their best on all tests. All
students in a tested grade level that are present at school during the STAAR
test for their grade level are included in the test administration. Should a
student be present, but not participate in a test, the student’s test will be
coded as “S” for “scorable.” Campuses are required to return a testing booklet
for each student.
What are the
implications for a student that does not complete a standardized test?
There are implications regarding required tutoring and
promotion, along with graduation requirements.
Under TEC
§28.0213, a school district must also offer an intensive program of
instruction to a student who does not perform satisfactorily on any state
assessment instrument administered under TEC
Subchapter B, Chapter 39. In addition, a recent amendment to the
statute now requires that intensive instruction be provided to a student who is
not likely to receive a high school diploma before the fifth school year
following the student’s enrollment in grade nine, as determined by the school
district.
TEC §28.0211 (also referred to as the Student Success
Initiative or SSI) requires a school district to provide
students in third through eighth grade, who do not perform satisfactorily on a
state assessment, with accelerated instruction in the applicable subject area.
Accelerated instruction must be provided each time a student fails a state
assessment. These requirements also apply to students in special education,
including those who take alternate state assessments.
Grade advancement procedures are established by the Texas
Education Code, state rule in 19 Texas Administrative Code chapter 101 on
standardized tests, and the Student Success Initiative Manual.
Even when a student’s performance on a state assessment is not directly tied to
grade promotion as described below, a student’s score on an applicable state
assessment must be considered as a factor in promotion. Tex.
Educ. Code 28.021(c).
Promotion from Grades 5 and 8: In addition to local policy standards relating to grade
advancement, students in grades 5 and 8 must pass the math and reading portion
of the STAAR to be promoted. School districts are required by state rule to
administer three testing opportunities for students who fail to meet
satisfactory performance on these assessments. A student who does not pass the
tests may advance to the next grade level only if:
- The
student has completed required accelerated instruction (tutoring); and
- The
student’s grade placement committee, established at the student’s campus,
determines by unanimous decision, in accordance with the standards for
promotion established by the School Board, the student is likely to
perform at grade level at the end of the next year.
19 Tex. Admin. Code §§ 101.2001(b).
High School Graduation: Students must pass the five end-of-course exams or an acceptable
substitute in order to graduate, as described above. By local policy, a school
district may issue a certificate of coursework completion to a student who
successfully completes curriculum requirements but who fails required state
assessment tests. Texas
Education Code §§28.025(d).