Testing in Texas

Texas is one of four states that never, ever signed on to the Common Core State Standards. That has something to do with Texas's independent streak and a lot to do with the power of the Texas Board of Education and its desire to retain that power.

In 2012, Texas replaced its famous Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) with the new State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). From the state website:

The STAAR program includes annual assessments for

Reading and mathematics, grades 3–8

Writing at grades 4 and 7

Science at grades 5 and 8

Social studies at grade 8

End-of-course assessments for English I, English II, Algebra I, biology and U.S history.

Beginning in 2016, TEA will voluntarily administer STAAR EOC assessments for English III and Algebra II.

So it is possible to have a boatload of tests without any connection whatsoever to the Common Core. In comparison, NYS has reading and math at 3-8, science at 4 and 8, social studies to come, plus Regents in a variety of courses at the HS level.

Want to criticize testing? Criticize testing. Just don't blame testing on the Common Core.

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