TEXAS, USA — UPDATE: 'A constant insane amount of pressure' | Central Texas mom opts student out of STAAR test, despite TEA saying the law does not allow for it
Texans are taking action against the state's testing program, known as STAAR. Parents are opting out of the assessment which is possible but not easy.
A minimum of 95% of students must participate in STAAR testing or the state might penalize the district, according to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). However, students and parents face no consequences for opting out.
Many families feel that's not the case though.
"We need to do better and stick up for our kids because if we don't advocate for them, then no one else will," Lillian Wesley, a Garland ISD mother, said.
She is the mother of 11th grader, Joven Wesley. The week of April 15 was his STAAR testing week. It's something he doesn't look forward to.
"I grew up being dyslexic for a while without being diagnosed," Joven Wesley said. "Even with being diagnosed and going through all the classes, it's hard for students like myself to really sit there and actually try to grasp it without messing up on anything. They're always trying to push us for passing or above passing on any level."
That's why his mom opted him out.
"They push it so hard that he just gets stressed out," Lillian Wesley said. "He gets anxiety. He can't sleep. He just he dreads going to school for testing. Some parents are like, just get over it and take a test. No, we all have choices in life and you can't dictate to me what my child has to do."
Opting out requires specific measures. Families who choose to opt out still feel penalized for their decision.
"I ended up getting pulled out of my first period class and I was told that I will not pass and they made it very obviously, that they were trying to raise their voice," Joven Wesley added. "I was in the hallway, so I'm pretty sure that all my classmates heard that."
Hope Smith, a Killeen ISD parent, has a son too. He's in 5th grade and is autistic. He's opted out of the assessment since 3rd grade.
"It just brought a lot of anxiety to him," Smith said. "These teachers hound these kids about the STAAR assessment so bad to where it was, like, deteriorating him emotionally. It was giving him anxiety."
This family too felt the consequence of opting out from teachers.
"He was punished and didn't get an ice cream like everybody else," Smith added. "You just humiliated him in front of everybody because now the whole classroom has ice cream except for my child. You singled him out. You're punishing him. For what? He did absolutely nothing wrong."
Smith says you can submit a blank assessment to exercise your right to not participate in STAAR.
"Parents have Texas rights," Smith said. "We have our right to opt out our children."
For now, Texas families will continue to advocate for their children.
"Our kids deserve better," Smith told 6 News.
The TEA says STAAR tests show whether a student has mastered knowledge of a core subject at a certain grade level. Results should provide parents assurance that their child is prepared to enter the next grade level.
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