Important STAAR Testing Information & FAQ's
Dear Gator Families -
Thank you for taking the time to read this important communication.
As you may have seen on the news, there is a great deal of discussion regarding the STAAR exam, virtual learners, and overall expectations for testing in public education. We want to take a moment to communicate accurate information regarding state testing and make certain that you have an avenue to get your questions answered moving forward. Here are some of the more common questions that you may have along with answers based on the information we currently have available. We will continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available.
Question #1: I am the parent of a virtual learner. Does my child have to take the STAAR test?
Despite what you may have seen in the news or online, the actual answer to the question is more complicated and directly depends upon your child’s situation. There is currently no “at home” testing option for STAAR, STAAR Alt 2 or TELPAS. Your child will need to come to campus to complete their assessment.
If your child is taking a high school course with an End-of-Course STAAR test, your child will need to pass the EOC prior to graduation. There are a few exceptions to this and you can discuss those exceptions with your child’s counselor. If your child does not take the EOC during the school year, they will have the opportunity to test during the summer administration or December 2021 administration.
However, if you have explored your child’s specific situation with your home campus and feel that the risk of coming to campus to test during the current STAAR test administration window is too great for your specific family situation, then you are not required to come to campus to test for STAAR. Your child’s testing documents will be coded with a specific code as specified in the state guidance document indicating that your child was a virtual student who chose not to participate in testing at the testing site. The safety of all of our students remains our highest priority. Parents will need to complete an online form to notify the campus that their remote learning student will not participate in the scheduled test administration. https://bit.ly/disdoption
Question #2: If I am the parent of a virtual learner, what are some things that I should consider when making a decision about my child coming to campus to test for STAAR, STAAR Alt 2 or TELPAS?
EOC students - There is currently no at home testing option for STAAR. If your child is taking a high school course with an End-of-Course STAAR test, missing an EOC exam opportunity means that the student will have to make up that exam at a later date.
Graduation impact - Seniors should assume that normal requirements in which high schoolers must pass their state exams (EOCs) in order to graduate will remain unchanged. Missing an opportunity to test could have a significant impact on graduation opportunities.
Exiting criteria - English learners who choose not to participate in TELPAS will lose an opportunity to meet exit criteria, which could have long term impacts for the student
Advanced students - If your child is an advanced student currently taking an EOC subject (Algebra I, Biology), prior to High School, they will miss an important opportunity to test for the EOC, which could impact long term graduation.
Question #3: I am the parent of a face-to-face child and I want to opt out of STAAR. How do I do this?
As of this writing, there is no “opt out” procedure for the STAAR test. Face-to-Face learners will be required to test on testing days assuming that they are present. Current practice, per Texas Education Agency, is if the student is in attendance on testing day and refuses to participate, we score the blank answer document or online test as is, but we are required to give the student the opportunity to test.
Question #4: Why doesn’t the state just cancel the entire STAAR test administration?
The latest communications from the Texas Education Agency states that STAAR testing will go on as planned.
Question #5: Who should I talk with when I call my child’s campus for additional information?
Our campus administrators are ready to assist you. You may contact your campus counselor, testing coordinator, or administrators for additional information. Check our district website for email addresses and phone numbers. You can also contact our District Assessment Coordinator Dr. Debby Noffsinger at dnoffsinger@dickinsonisd.org. Additionally, you can submit your questions to our “just ask” link on our district website and someone will get back with you with an answer to your questions.