Top 3 Disadvantages of the Texas STAAR Test

posted by Karen Quinn, The Testing Mom - October 30th, 2014

The Texas STAAR exam started only last year but so far, many are already aware of its disadvantages. The test is a product of Pearson education in partnership with Texas Education Agency as a replacement to the previous Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills or TAKS. Though the STAAR test has good intentions such as to effectively measure how far students have learned in a subject area, they are not enough to cover its major disadvantages.

Pricey

According to the latest news, the STAAR is very expensive especially on the part of taxpayers as mentioned in http://www.nbcdfw.com/investigations/90-Million-Tab-for-STAAR-Testing-Includes-Pricey-Meetings-Travel-Consultants-201520411.html. The Texas Education Agency specified estimated costs for graphic design, recording, system set-up and configuration, and travel and meetings which amount to over 4.1 millions dollars in just one year. Now this is too much for just an assessment tool.

More Stressful

Another big disadvantage of the Texas STAAR test is the stress it incurs on students and the schools themselves. Students have to take the test under time pressure. They have to answer items under 12 subjects within four hours. Meanwhile, teachers and administrators are also under a lot of stress because whatever scores their students will get from the Texas STAAR exam will reflect in their overall standing when compared with other schools in Texas.

More Demanding

A key feature in the STAAR exam states that the scores will contribute 15% of the final grade in each area tested. If you’re a student who already has trouble passing your subjects, taking the Texas STAAR means another challenge you have to surpass. That’s because failing in one of the subjects can mean no diploma for you. Less fortunate students and schools are also burdened with this test because they don’t have sufficient financial assistance to buy review materials and sample tests. On the other hand, those who already excel in the classroom are pressured to study harder to ensure they get high scores otherwise, a low STAAR score can pull them from the top of the honors list.