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Hello, my name is Ray Lopez and I plan to be a secondary educator. This fall, I will be going into my 4th year of teaching. Following my teaching career, I would like to be in administration where I can have a say in curriculum and how it is dispersed ensuring students are equipped with what they need to know in order to make them into contributing members of society while simultaneously encouraging critical thinking towards all aspects of core subjects and electives. The reason that I am choosing the topic of Standardized Testing is because I have gained a new perspective on how testing is coordinated. My standing by merit based testing still stands, but I do not believe that standardized testing is a conducive effort to display a student's growth over time anymore. As a student growing up in the school system from the 90's to the early 2000's, I had only known one way of testing to be, and that was in the standardized form.

The law has a great deal to say as far as how I can approach testing as it stands right now. The STAAR Test directives are out of my hands entirely, though I disagree with many of its implementation methods, it still has regulations that need to be followed. While it is my duty to do right by these students, I will continue to do so until there is a change in how the testing system is rectified to reflect students comprehension in tested subjects in different ways. We can’t expect for students who have different ways of learning to just all of a sudden converge on the same pathway when it comes to the method in which they take the test. Especially, when we as educators make it so high stakes for both them and us. Perhaps a method could be introduced in which there is testing throughout the year spread out over a course of time without the stressors that are involved with STAAR be made known to faculty and students. Then when the end of the school year comes, it can be a content area focused for the duration of the year without any distractions of a Goliath like test hiding in the midst with potential failure for a school.

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Why is this topic important?

This topic is important because many students should have an opportunity to opt out given that there could be more beneficial ways of measuring growth. This problem of standardized testing is not one we face at home, but abroad as well. For example, some participants in Israel have taken a stand to maybe even perhaps avoid the standard test altogether. Since the early 2000s, it can be noted that there has been a push to stop standardized testing following the revising of Common Core State Standards (Sabag & Feniger, 2022). The complexity of the issue can stem from many different points, but the fact remains that every student does not learn the same, therefore cannot be tested the same as iterated earlier. There is a heavy emphasis on how the STAAR Test needs to be administered, and the scores weigh heavily on performances by the student (Tex. Educ. Code § 39.023(a)). Since every state gets to determine how testing can be done, that will be left to state agencies to determine if standardized testing is beneficial for all students or only the ones who have good test taking strategies.

What is one emerging issue relating to the topic?

One of the emerging issues that is currently taking place with standardized testing is the issue of test anxiety rising. Mathis et al. states, “The effect of rigorous testing on students’ levels of anxiety and stress is an increasing concern for students, schools, parents, and policymakers in countries throughout the world, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” (p. 125). With testing anxiety comes a mental health inhibitor. Students should be able to take the comprehension test they need to without the stressors of the high stakes component of the test. This statement is not an advocate for Affirmative Action type plans, merit should still be measured, but a better solution should be proposed for students that may have learning disabilities and may not cope well with the complexities of test anxiety, thus prompting them to do more poorly than they otherwise would normally perform. Mathis et al. also states, “students continually understand tests as a threat that increases stress and a situation surrounded with uncertainty in allowing them to illustrate their true success…resulting in higher test anxiety directly causing a drop in the student achievement” (p. 127).

References

Mathis, B. K., Deraney, P. M., Mavuso, A. M., Al-Nashmi, K. M., Alegaily, L. A., & Alghamdi, A. K. H. (2021). Effects of High-Stakes Testing on the Stress and Anxiety Levels of Middle School Students in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Assessment & Evaluation, 28(1), (pp. 125–142). https://doi-org.easydb.angelo.edu/10.18848/2327-7920/CGP/v28i01/125-142

Sabag, N., & Feniger, Y. (2022). Parents’ Resistance to Standardized Testing in a Highly Centralized System: The Emergence of an Opt-out Movement in Israel. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 30(132–139),(pp. 1–16). https://doi-org.easydb.angelo.edu/10.14507/epaa.30.6328

Tex. Educ. Code § 39.023(a) https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/leadership/state-board-of-

education/sboe-meetings/statutory-citations/tec-39.023.pdf

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TEA or the Texas Education Agency would be an example of the arbiter of information that concerns standardized testing in the state of Texas and its districts under its wing. The public schools that are beholden to them are required to adhere to their testing standards (Tex. Educ. Code § 39.023(a)) while private schools operate on a more autonomous sanction. Government agencies involved in education, even state government associations, have been a high topic of debate in the news recently. The notion that parents should have the ultimate authority over their students' education is absolutely correct. First and foremost they are their parents' child not the states, so ethically and lawfully that puts the well being of the child on the responsibility of the parent before anything else. If parents, like the ones in America and Israel are boycotting standardized tests, gains more traction across many more state agencies, then perhaps the United States will see some of the same effects Israel saw. Granted, the boycotts that came out of Israel were from prior to COVID-19 (Sabag & Feniger, 2021), so it would be interesting to see how that would play out some three to four years later.

References

Sabag, N., & Feniger, Y. (2022). Parents’ Resistance to Standardized Testing in a Highly Centralized System: The Emergence of an Opt-out Movement in Israel. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 30(132–139),(pp. 1–16). https://doi-org.easydb.angelo.edu/10.14507/epaa.30.6328

Tex. Educ. Code § 39.023(a) https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/leadership/state-board-of-

education/sboe-meetings/statutory-citations/tec-39.023.pdf

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Strauss, V. (2023, March 23). This educator turned lawmaker wants to end standardized testing. The Washington Post. https://resolver-ebscohost-com.easydb.angelo.edu/openurl?sid=EBSCO%3aedsbro&genre=article&issn=01908286&ISBN=&volume=&issue=&date=20230323&spage=&pages=&title=The+Washington+Post&atitle=This+educator+turned+lawmaker+wants+to+end+standardized+testing&aulast=Strauss%2c+Valerie&id=DOI%3a&site=ftf-live

Strauss states, the hours that are spent to prepare for an annual test could be better spent on authentic instruction per teachers she has surveyed (Strauss, 2023).

The standardized test scores are not only used as a metric for students, but for the evaluation of teachers as well. According to Strauss, she states, “Assessment experts have long said the formulas used for the evaluations aren’t valid for that purpose, but that doesn’t stop their use” (Strauss, 2023)

There is an apparent correlation between testing scores and whether or not a child lives in poverty (Strauss, 2023) .

Following the COVID-19 Pandemic, standardized scores dropped when scores were retrieved from the 2022 school year (Strauss, 2023).

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Colorado survey shows huge lack of support for standardized testing. (2023, May 3). Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO). https://go-gale-com.easydb.angelo.edu/ps/i.do?p=ITBC&u=txshracd2485&id=GALE%7CA747973101&v=2.1&it=r&aty=ip

According to a survey conducted by the Colorado Parent Teacher Association, many parents want “an alternate measure of success than standardized testing” (Sullivan, 2023). With the statistics of the respondents being “four out of five” (Sullivan, 2023), parents clearly want success and achievement measured differently.

Colorado uses the annual test, CMAS or Colorado Measures of Academic Success to measure school ratings and achievement scores. (Sullivan, 2023).

According to Sullivan, he states, “Questions surrounding the necessity of standardized testing were elevated by the pandemic after a number of higher education institutions permanently waived entrance exam requirements like the SAT and ACT” (Sullivan, 2023). He also stated that many experts then said that they did not think that the tests were good indicators for success. (Sullivan, 2023).

In the article, a member of Colorado PTA’s legislative committee states, "People (are) constantly conflating academic achievement with test scores, and when you have a conversation with a person ... they will always say at the end of the day, the test isn't what decides what kind of learner this child is, or what their skills are, or whether they're gifted” (Sullivan, 2023).

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Law: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

• Reference List Citation for the Original Law: Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq. (2004)

• Source of Law: Constitutional Law

• URL to the law: http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title20/chapter33&edition=prelim

The IDEA serves as a bridge to allow eligibility for students who have disabilities, so that they too can have a quality education just as their peers do.

According to Section 1415 (I) Subchapter II (Part B), it states, “Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to restrict or limit the rights, procedures, and remedies available under the Constitution” (IDEA, 2004). It also states in conjunction, “or other Federal laws protecting the rights of children with disabilities, except that before the filing of a civil action under such laws seeking relief that is also available under this subchapter” (IDEA, 2004).

Students with disabilities deserve every bit of education as their peers. Just because they may either be born with or develop a disability overtime does not negate that fact.

The law requires accommodations for such students and it is imperative that states and schools within those states adhere to the standards provided to them so that they will not find themselves in violation of that law.

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7. FHSP (Foundation High School Program-Texas) 

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7. FHSP (Foundation High School Program-Texas) 

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Law: Foundation High School Program

• Reference List Citation for the Original Law: Texas Education Agency. (2014). Foundation High School Program. Retrieved from https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/83R/billtext/pdf/HB00005F.pdf

• Source of Law: Statutory Law

• URL to the law: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/83R/billtext/pdf/HB00005F.pdf

The main premise of this law is to outline requirements needed for graduation in the state of Texas (TEA, 2014).

Since the differences from state to state can vary, it is imperative that each state understand the prerequisites that are required of their students in order to graduate.

With no set standard to follow it could be difficult to manage student comprehension.

This of course also involves standardized testing since this will be a main component of a student’s completion of their high school credits.

As it stands currently in Texas, a student must fulfil EOCs in the current classes.

English I and English II

Algebra I

Biology

U.S. History (TEA, 2014)

These are the current standardized tests mandated that students take and pass in order to graduate under current Texas Law.

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Law: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

• Reference List Citation for the Original Law: Every Student Succeeds Act, 20 U.S.C.

§ 6301 et seq. (2015)

• Source of Law: Constitutional Law

• URL to the law: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-

bill/1177/text

The implementation of ESSA followed No Child Left Behind (NCLB). It was designed to ensure that states had more authority to have more flexibility in how federal education funds would be used (ESSA, 2015).

There was a greater sense of accountability for school successes and academic achievements. The law also helps encourage states to pay more attention to schools that are not doing so well, so that they will be able to provide more resources to help them out to better service their students (ESSA, 2015).

ESSA also has requirements for states to maintain statewide assessments. An example of this would be the STAAR Test administered every year in Texas(ESSA, 2015).

ESSA also helps to support Title I schools, which are the schools that have a predominantly low-socioeconomic population of students (ESSA, 2015).

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Law: Texas Education Code § 39.023(a) Public School System Accountability

• Reference List Citation for the Original Law: Texas Education Code § 39.023(a)

• Source of Law: Statutory Law

• URL to the law: https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/leadership/state-board-of-

education/sboe-meetings/statutory-citations/tec-39.023.pdf

Public School System Accountability ensures that schools are in accordance with standardized testing required by TEA and the federal government (Tex. Educ. Code § 39.023(a)).

PSSA also helps with standardized testing with achievement measures to see if students are meeting grade level requirements (Tex. Educ. Code § 39.023(a))

It also assists with monitoring school performance. It allows for TEA to intervene when a school is underperforming and is in need of some sort of intervention (Tex. Educ. Code § 39.023(a)).

Accountability is a staple of PSSA as the name entails. It requires that schools be transparent about their findings in regard to their reporting on student achievements that coincide with the curriculum (Tex. Educ. Code § 39.023(a)).

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10. INSTRUCTION ACCELERATED INSTRUCTION –UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE ON ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS

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10. INSTRUCTION ACCELERATED INSTRUCTION –UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE ON ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS

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School/Org Policy: INSTRUCTION ACCELERATED INSTRUCTION –

UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE ON ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS

• Reference List Citation for the Original Law: Texas Education Code § 39.023(a)

• Source of Law: Administrative Law

• Link to the policy if possible: https://4.files.edl.io/01bc/08/17/22/144659-86a8ec90-

4424-4132-afa6-917d7f5a595f.pdf

TLCA’s supplemental law is in accordance with the already instilled TEA law. This is to provide instruction on how to coordinate efforts for students who pass, fail, or otherwise do not meet expectations for the standardized test in Texas. In this case it would be the STAAR test.

The school policy also outlines many other factors that have been in accordance with state and federal law, such as disciplinary measures.

School’s administrative laws must be in compliance with their state governing body. Anything outside of this is an infraction on the school and can be met with swift action by the state (Tex. Educ. Code § 39.023(a)).

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11. Texas Administrative Code-Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators

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11. Texas Administrative Code-Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators

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Tex. Admin. Code Rule §247.2

https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=7&ch=247&rl=2

The Texas Administrative Code states in (G) Standard 1.7, “The educator shall comply with state regulations, written local school board policies, and other state and federal laws” (Tex Admin. Code Rule §247.2).

The code gives strict guidelines as to what needs to be followed in order to avoid infractions within the law in the realm of teaching.

Teachers are to abide by every standard so as to not find themselves in compromising situations to where they would be compromising their ethics.

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Standardized testing can greatly affect students who have disabilities as well. Especially ADHD (Elliot, 2021). There are many programs in place that coincide with lawful legislation to help these students and they must be followed. Programs from ADA to IDEA are essential to ensuring students have resources that they need in order to succeed in the classroom. If a teacher fails to give these accommodations, then they may be held liable for potential damages that can result in a student's learning. There is an essential need to level the playing field (Elliot, 2021) for these students who may otherwise have been at a disadvantage without resource assistance. Teachers have a lawful duty to do right by each and every student to ensure their education is just as informative as the student with no disabilities as both are protected by federal and state law.

Elliot, D. (2021). The Historical Diagnosis Criterion Should Not Apply: Reasonable Accommodations in Standardized Testing for Individuals with a Later Diagnosis of ADHD. Journal of Law and Policy, 30(1), (pp.121–156).