Texas Standardized Tests

[rocketwright]

Texas staar tests. Can a principal require a 4th grader who did not pass one part of the staar test yet made all A's in that subject throughout year go to summer school?

 

[LdiJ]

Texas staar tests. Can a principal require a 4th grader who did not pass one part of the staar test yet made all A's in that subject throughout year go to summer school?

Yes, most likely he/she can. That would tend to indicate that the information was not well retained by the child.

 

[rocketwright]

Texas staar test

Can it legally stand though? What are a parents rights? The child has since been receiving private tutoring. There was no retest offered to determine if the information was not retained or it was simply a bad test day. Again, certain grade levels are not required to pass some of the areas of the test to be promoted to the next grade level.

 

[sandyclaus]

Texas staar tests. Can a principal require a 4th grader who did not pass one part of the staar test yet made all A's in that subject throughout year go to summer school?

Yes, most likely he/she can. That would tend to indicate that the information was not well retained by the child.

Can it legally stand though? What are a parents rights? The child has since been receiving private tutoring. There was no retest offered to determine if the information was not retained or it was simply a bad test day. Again, certain grade levels are not required to pass some of the areas of the test to be promoted to the next grade level.

One might wonder how the child was capable of getting straight A's in the class in that subject area, yet managed to fail the STAAR testing for the same subject. Testing during the regular class was intended to determine the students comprehension, understanding, and retention of the subject matter. If they did that well during the school year, it makes absolutely no sense that they would suddenly forget it all when it came to state testing. That tells me that either the teacher passed them through, or the child may have cheated on their tests, which was caught in the STAAR testing.

It's entirely appropriate to have the child be required to attend summer school in order to repeat the coursework. Unless, of course, you'd rather your child be held back a year in school?

 

[rocketwright]

Texas staar test

My child was already promoted to the next grade level, like I said, passing the test is not required for promotion. This is also a 10 year old in 4th grade. I assume you are not familiar with the rigor of the new staar test or the gaps in cscope curriculum. As well as the child has been receiving private tutoring all summer by a certified teacher. After being evaluated, it was determined that the child was not behind, however had only been taught to pass a state test. Which by the way he only missed passing by one problem. A state test does not determine a child's success. They are humans and individuals and should be viewed as such. It is discerning to me the negative assumptions you seem to have by saying the information was either not retained or the child cheated.

 

[LdiJ]

My child was already promoted to the next grade level, like I said, passing the test is not required for promotion. This is also a 10 year old in 4th grade. I assume you are not familiar with the rigor of the new staar test or the gaps in cscope curriculum. As well as the child has been receiving private tutoring all summer by a certified teacher. After being evaluated, it was determined that the child was not behind, however had only been taught to pass a state test. Which by the way he only missed passing by one problem. A state test does not determine a child's success. They are humans and individuals and should be viewed as such. It is discerning to me the negative assumptions you seem to have by saying the information was either not retained or the child cheated.

Dad...bottom line is that if the child is required to go to summer school, the child is required to go to summer school. Unless you can convince the principal differently, you don't have a choice.

 

[sandyclaus]

My child was already promoted to the next grade level, like I said, passing the test is not required for promotion. This is also a 10 year old in 4th grade. I assume you are not familiar with the rigor of the new staar test or the gaps in cscope curriculum. As well as the child has been receiving private tutoring all summer by a certified teacher. After being evaluated, it was determined that the child was not behind, however had only been taught to pass a state test. Which by the way he only missed passing by one problem. A state test does not determine a child's success. They are humans and individuals and should be viewed as such. It is discerning to me the negative assumptions you seem to have by saying the information was either not retained or the child cheated.

Maybe not passing the test, but understanding of that particular subject may keep the child from being promoted further.

Honestly, will it hurt for the child to attend summer school? Did you have some particular summer plans that will be interrupted by the mandatory attendance of summer school? I could see your reluctance if this was keeping the child from matriculating to the next level, but you have already indicated that it hasn't.

What exactly is the issue here? A little extra instruction never hurt any child, yet you seem to be making such a huge issue over this.

 

[rocketwright]

Texas staar test

The child is receiving extra instruction on my terms. 70% of the 4th grade did not pass the math test. That says to me the problem is the school. If it didn't work the first time why would it work the second time around. We are providing private instruction by a certified teacher. As parents, we have rights. If a school fails a child, I will take matters into my own hands to ensure his success, that is my parental right. The law states that the school can only require summer school if the child is in jeopardy of not being promoted to the next grade level. He was already promoted.

 

[LdiJ]

The child is receiving extra instruction on my terms. 70% of the 4th grade did not pass the math test. That says to me the problem is the school. If it didn't work the first time why would it work the second time around. We are providing private instruction by a certified teacher. As parents, we have rights. If a school fails a child, I will take matters into my own hands to ensure his success, that is my parental right. The law states that the school can only require summer school if the child is in jeopardy of not being promoted to the next grade level. He was already promoted.

Dad, you making the bolded statement is a little scary...

You need to be talking to the school and the school district. You may be absolutely correct that the school is failing the children, and you are absolutely correct that you have the right to provide your child with extra instruction and to take matters into your own hands to help ensure his success. However, what may be the case is that you may not be able to override what the school system requires. The school system may be able to rescind your child's promotion if you don't do what they require.

You have the right to put your child into private school. You have the right to have your child homeschooled. You have the right to talk to the school system about your child and about your child's needs.

However, no parent has the final word about their child's education if public or private schools are involved. Parents have a great deal of influence, and many rights, but they do not have the final word if their child is to remain in the public or private school system. They only have the final word if their child is homeschooled, and even then that doesn't guarantee the child's admittance into college.

So chill dad...talk to the principal, talk to the superintendent...don't automatically rule out summer school out of ego.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

I suspect the problem is dad works hard with the child to do homework nightly. He views the child not retaining a significant amount of the information as a personal affront.

 

[rocketwright]

Texas Staar Test

State law overrides district policy. 70% of 4th graders failing the math staar at this school, that's a fact not a bold statement, that information is published by the TEA. No ego involved here, but what's in the best interest of my child and how he will be affected individually. A child's test scores are confidential, that is law. This principal did not keep the scores confidential but called all non passing kids in together to tell them how disappointed he was in them and as a result they were going to summer school. He is using summer school as a punishment and humiliation tactic to intimidate better test performance. So yes, as parents we are upset that our child was publicly humiliated over failing a state test that he set himself up to not succeed at before he ever took it. I remind you again, these are 10 year old children. We spoke to the principal and he was fine with our child receiving private instruction until he realized all the other kids would wonder why my son wasn't at summer school. How would all the other kids know if test results are confidential? And yes, the next step is the superintendent, that's why I initially asked the question. I like to know where I stand legally not hypothetical scenarios. No child should suffer panic and hysteria over a stupid test. I do not exaggerate when I say these children cry and work themselves up to a point of being physically ill over the fear of not passing a test because they are terrified about the consequences. Now do you understand my anger and frustration?

 

[rocketwright]

Texas Staar Test

And to clarify the question of homework and the child not retaining to info, he did not struggle throughout the year with homework or tests. He is an A student and received a level III performance on the other two tests. Which is accelerated academic performance.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

The curriculum is supposed to be commensurate with state requirements and the test is based on state requirements. You appear to be saying your child did an outstanding job of learning 65% of the state required curriculum. The parents appear to need a superintendent meeting to find out why their children were not taught. Summer school is an attempt to bring them up to speed so they can learn what they did not, so they are not behind in the next year.

 

[rocketwright]

Texas Staar Test

Cscope curriculum does not always prepare for the test. I would assume that's one of the reasons Texas will no longer use cscope daily lesson plans. They also had a first year teacher. As many of us know, teachers have to fill in the gaps of the cscope curriculum. Being a new teacher she wasn't quite sure how to do this. I in no way blame the teacher, she is a lovely warm and caring girl who I'm sure will have a bright future as an educator. I do feel that she could have had better mentoring. As I said before, we have provided my son with private instruction over the summer. Also, this is a high academically achieving child. There is no history of struggling academically as well as previously receiving commended performance on previous state tests. The state of Texas does not require 4th grade to pass the math staar.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

The teacher was not being paid to be nice. She was being paid to do a job. She should have had someone reviewing her lesson plans to make sure she was on task.