Changes to STAAR Requirements for Special Education Students and Students Affected by Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey Waiver

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath has waived certain standardizing testing requirements for students affected by Hurricane Harvey. Students across Texas must take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, tests scheduled to take place in March and May. Responding to pressure from Governor Greg Abbott, Commissioner Morath will allow students who fail the test twice to still graduate, under the condition that their local district officials determine they are ready to move on. The announcement comes on the heels of a letter from Governor Abbott urging Commissioner Morath to request a waiver from the federal government to exempt certain Texas districts from federal standardized testing requirements.

In order to graduate from the fifth and eighth grade, students must pass the STAAR reading and math tests, and have three attempts to do so. If the student does not pass on the third attempt, he or she cannot graduate unless a committee of his or her educators and parents unanimously agrees to allow the student to move forward. Morath’s announcement will give districts affected by Harvey more discretion in determining whether to promote students who fail STAAR testing requirements.

New ARD Meeting Requirements – HB 657

Texas House Bill 657 updated ARD committee requirements for special education students who have to retake a STAAR test. The ARD committee of a special education student who does not perform satisfactorily on a STAAR test must meet before the student takes the test a second time. In addition, the committee may promote the student to the next grade level if the committee concludes that the student has made sufficient progress in the measurable academic goals contained in the student’s IEP. A school district that promotes a student using this process is not required to provide an additional opportunity for the student to perform satisfactorily on the STAAR test.

Finally, not later than September 1st of each school year, school districts must notify the parent of a student enrolled in the district’s special education program of the ARD committee’s options if the student does not perform satisfactorily on a STAAR test.

 

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