As the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the operations of schools across the state, Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Monday that he would be waiving testing requirements for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test.
“Your health and safety are top priorities, and the state of Texas will give school districts flexibility to protect and ensure the health of students, faculty, and their families,” said Abbott. “We will empower schools to make the best decisions to protect their communities from COVID-19.”
In addition to waiving state testing requirements, Abbott said he is requesting that the Department of Education waive federal testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year as well.
The announcement comes shortly after lawmakers took part in a conference call with Mike Morath, the head of the Texas Education Agency, in which many reportedly shared concerns over continuing STAAR testing in light of the school closures.
Abbott declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus situation on Friday, giving him the power to waive certain state regulations in light of the crisis.
