AUSTIN, Texas — Lawmakers in both the state House and Senate agree that the state needs to get rid of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR test.

Both chambers are working on a plan that would replace the STAAR test with three smaller tests to be administered throughout the year that would have a faster turnaround time for grades and compare scores to other states. But Texas Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, says the Senate gutted the bill. 

What You Need To Know

  • Both chambers are working on a plan that would replace the STAAR test with three smaller tests to be administered throughout the year

  • The Senate version of the bill gives the Texas Education Agency commissioner the power to determine how tests are scored and which of the three proposed tests will count toward districts’ A-F accountability rating

  • The Texas State Teachers Association is concerned about giving current TEA Commissioner Mike Morath such power

  • Some representatives in the lower chamber say they’d rather keep the STAAR test in place than accept the Senate's changes

“While they may claim they have killed the STAAR test, they actually are just creating another commissioner-created test,” Hinojosa said. 

The Senate version of the bill gives the Texas Education Agency commissioner the power to determine how tests are scored and which of the three proposed tests will count toward school districts’ A-F accountability ratings. The upper chamber also wants to keep in place mandatory social studies testing.  

The Texas State Teachers Association is concerned about giving current TEA Commissioner Mike Morath such power. 

“Remember, he is unelected. Local school boards are elected,” said Clay Robison. “He could go ahead and change the scoring standards in the middle, after a test has been administered, without any advance notice to the school districts. And if the school districts thought that was unfair and tried to challenge it in court, they couldn’t do so without being sanctioned.” 

Districts that don’t perform well risk a bad score on the accountability rating, which could result in the state taking over the local school board and any district that challenges its rating may be sanctioned. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, says the provision is in response to ongoing suits against the state over the release of ratings. 

“It’s time to blast past that, but give the schools a chance to use public money on real challenges,” said Bettencourt. 

Democrats in the Senate say they welcome accountability but still have concerns. 

“My concern that if TEA comes in and does a take over the school district and there’s no judicial impact, then TEA now runs the school district, they could pull out of the lawsuit and in essence not allow for the school district to have a voice. It seems like we’re creating an unfair legal process,” said state Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio.

Some representatives in the lower chamber say they’d rather keep the STAAR test in place than accept the Senate’s changes. 

“House Bill 4, the way it originally left the House, did not allow for that to happen and created strict timelines by which the commissioner would have to raise standards so that everybody was aware of what was required of them for that school year,” said Hinojosa.

The concerns led House Public Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley, R-Salado, to call for a conference committee between the two chambers. 

“They have waded into some areas where I feel like it does not really meet the moment of what we need in our schools to make sure that we have strong assessments that inform our teachers and improve instruction,” said Buckley.

Negotiations will take place behind closed doors with a final plan required by Sunday, which is the last day any action can be taken this legislative session.