The Texas Education Agency, led by Mike Morath, has mandated that all students in Texas must take the STAAR test in person during extended testing windows in April, May and June. Students "must be present at a monitored testing session and must be supervised by a trained test administrator." 

Texas is currently seeing over 21,000 verified new cases of COVID daily with over 2 million total cases and over 35,000 total deaths. Additionally, many schools across Texas are dealing with COVID cases and quarantines of students, teachers and staff on a daily basis. As of January 29, 2021, only 228,000 out of over 29 million Texans  have been fully vaccinated. TEA clearly understands the severity, given that their offices are currently closed and they are available by appointment only.

To require students, including virtual learners, to spend days at the school where they may be exposed to the virus and may take the virus back to their families and  into our communities is unconscionable. Applying more stress to students who are already experiencing the trauma of a pandemic, including experience sickness and death, loss of incoming, food insecurity and more, shows a lack of empathy and understanding of the total needs of our children during this very difficult time.   

We demand that the STAAR testing be canceled for 2021 and reconsidered for 2022 in light of the pandemic.