Testing standards will change
STATE REP. CHUCK HOPSON

STATE REP.CHUCK HOPSON

Changes to Texas schools are on the horizon.

We voted Monday to end the two-decade old requirement

that high school s t u d e n t s must pass the TAKS test to graduate. I support any

efforts to reduce

the use

STATE REP.CHUCK

of standardized

HOPSON

testing,

and hope this new proposal will lead to better, wider knowledge for our students.

Two trends have been created by standardized tests like the TAKS. First, teachers no longer feel they can be as creative with their lesson plans, or delve deeper into what they believe are important topics. Instead, they are forced to narrow their plans to make sure to include materials more likely to appear on the standardized tests.

The second thing that these tests have done is add a layer of stress to young children that can be debilitating. Remember, standardized testing starts as early as the sixth grade. Even straight A students agonize to the point of making themselves sick over these tests.

The House and Senate versions of this bill are different enough that a joint conference will be convened to iron out a final product. Both versions would scrap the TAKS test for a series of "end of course" tests in up to 12 different classes. The major difference in the two plans is that in the House version, students who score less than a 70 percent overall on the test can still graduate if they passed their courses overall. The Senate version does not allow this exception.

Just this week we've seen the TAKS test fail our kids. Let's give this new system a chance. The parents I have talked to want this as soon as possible.

Either version will have a built in "sunset" clause.