Now with graduations underway, it will be interesting how those graduates fare.
In case you don’t read the paper, have children, or watch the news you’re probably not aware of the mandated state tests call the STAAR.
This test supposedly closes the learning gap among minorities and prepares students for higher learning.
Since its inception, teachers and students have complained about the over emphasis on the test at the expense of other classes not tested.
Ask any child what they did in school today you will probably hear the same response; prepare for the test.
What the majority of the population do not hear about is the cost of the test. According to Scott Friedman, investigative reporter for Chanel 5 in Fort Worth, Texas pays about $90 million per year to write, distribute, and grade the test to Pearson Educational, a London based company.
In fact, Texas recently signed a 5-year contract for about $500 million to Pearson to administer the test.
Paying this amount without any evidence of better students is obscene. According to Friedman, a large amount of money is spent on travel, consultants and meetings. When asked to justify these pricey items Pearson balked.
I believe that the majority of people in Texas want good schools but paying this amount for one test on one day just isn’t right.
It’s time for Texans to get involved with our legislators and put a stop to this outlandish waste of money.
George Maurer Harlingen
