Passing Standardized Testing In Order To Graduate In Texas

Passing Standardized Testing In Order To Graduate In Texas Name Institutional Affiliation Date Passing Standardized Testing In Order To Graduate In Texas Introduction Standardized tests have brought a big storm in Texas with many educators and parents alike registering their dismay regarding the emphasis and frequency of these tests in schools that are public. The issue of the standardized tests came into being when President Bush’s administration passed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). All students were to comply with the state plan and by so doing, the tests were necessary. This state directive affected most of the people since it was stressful to the teachers, students and the administrators alike. This paper seeks to argue out the reasons as to why the system was not the most favorable option for those directly affected since it required that one had to pass these tests to be eligible to graduate (tasb.org, 2018). In 2015, the NCLB was replaced by the Every Student Succeed Act (ESSA), giving some flexibility to the states on the assessment of the students and how the accountability issue of the school will be factored in. Texas is still strict on the accountability of the schools because it uses academic excellence to measure the responsibility of the schools. By so doing, it utilizes the collective standardized exams (tasb.org, 2018). It has been observed that most of the parents who against the standardized testing are considering opting out or in some cases, they are supporting their children to absent themselves of the dates slated for the tests. Parents have their rights, and as such, they are always free to express their views directed to the lawmakers who have the required powers to alter the testing requirements (tasb.org, 2018). The process of opting out is not an easy one especially when it comes to the 90% attendance rule in schools. The state of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) does the standardized testing in public schools. The most disheartening revelation about these tests is that they are expensive and at the end of the day, they take up a big chunk of the taxpayers’ money. This money could otherwise have been used well on other programs that are useful to the community. Whenever there is an increase in the number of tests, the cost gets inflated. According to a recent survey in 45 states, the amount spent on the tests was $669 million per year, and nationally the figure stood at $1.7 billion (Gamez, 2016). State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) has had a negative impact on the admissions of students to the university. Dropout cases have been cited because of the strictness in the academic setup. The schools, which have high dropout rates, are left with no alternative but to look for additional avenues that will enable these students to proceed with their studies at a higher level. Some schools have been known to use the overall GPA or the previous test results to allow the students to at least complete a diploma course. The tiresome process is what makes this system unattractive to the educators, students and the administrators (Gamez, 2016). One of the setbacks of NCLB implementation is the increased cost-per-pupil expenditure for the requirements of the Act to be me...