So Governor Abbott has announced that he will be waiving STAAR testing requirements for 2019-2020 school year in a release Monday morning.
Governor Greg Abbott announced today that he has waived the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year and is requesting that the Department of Education waive federal testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year.
Governor Abbott is working closely with the Texas Education Agency to ensure that schools continue to deliver instruction to students while students are absent or while schools are closed due to COVID-19. This includes tailoring instruction for students with special needs so that they have access to the same education as other students in the district.
Governor Abbott will continue to work with the TEA on developing additional methods to ensure that students are learning and ready to succeed at the next grade-level.
“Your health and safety are top priorities, and the state of Texas will give school districts flexibility to protect and ensure the health of students, faculty, and their families,” said Governor Abbott. “We will empower schools to make the best decisions to protect their communities from COVID-19.”
The move to waive testing requirements reflects the Governor’s emphasis on public health over all other priorities at this time.
The Governor remains committed to ensuring parents, students, and school districts have access to this information in future years.
