U.S. Department of Education Denies State's Double-testing Waiver Request

Yesterday, the Texas Education Agency announced the U.S. Department of Education will not grant the state’s waiver request to address the issue of multiple assessments for students taking Algebra I at the middle school level.

TEA Commissioner of Education Michael Williams is discouraging local school districts and charters from double-testing middle school students taking Algebra I. However, the commissioner noted the decision about whether to administer multiple assessments is ultimately a local one.

The Austin Independent School District will follow the Commissioner of Education’s recommendation and test middle school Algebra I students only on the Algebra I end-of-course assessment.

“The waiver request was submitted because I do not believe that double testing middle school students is instructionally appropriate nor a valid evaluation of mathematics for Texas middle schools and high schools,” Commissioner Williams said in yesterday’s press release.

Eighth grade mathematics testing in Texas is scheduled to begin on April 1.

For more information, please visit the TEA’s website to read the press release at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/news_release.aspx?id=25769809892 .