COVID-19

State Assessment Updates

Governor Abbott has waived all STATE testing requirements for the remainder of the 2019–2020 school year.

From Commissioner Mike Morath

Given the impact of COVID-19, Governor Greg Abbott is using his statutory authority as the governor of Texas under Texas Government Code, §418.016 to suspend annual academic assessment requirements for the remainder of the 2019–2020 school year. TEA will work with the United States Department of Education to request waivers from federal testing and accountability requirements for the 2019–2020 school year

TEA COVID 19 State Assessment Guidance

TEA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Support and Guidance

More From Commissioner Mike Morath

Given the impact of COVID-19, Governor Greg Abbott is using his statutory authority as the governor of Texas under Texas Government Code, §418.016 to suspend annual academic assessment requirements for the remainder of the 2019–2020 school year. TEA will work with the United States Department of Education to request waivers from federal testing and accountability requirements for the 2019–2020 school year.

The Texas Assessment Program serves as an invaluable tool to accurately and reliably diagnose how well students have learned their grade-level and course content. Parents use this information to support the academic growth of their children, and educators use the assessment data to adjust how they approach teaching to maximize student learning. While the typical state assessment data will not be available this year due to the cancellation of testing, TEA will continue to support schools by making other tools available to diagnose student learning. More information will be provided as these tools become available.
Thank you for the work you do for the school children of Texas.

TELPAS UPDATES (April 6, 2020)

Holly Hawkins: Region 9 Testing Coordinator

If any guidance is needed in regards to materials, procedures, requirements, or student impact, please do not hesitate to contact me. If I do not have the information, I will get in contact with those who do. If you have questions, let's find answers.

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To learn more about any of the Texas state assessments or to find solutions to the data collected in regards to assessment at both state and local levels, click on the icon of interest below. These link to great resources for stakeholdes. If you are an educator at any level or a parent at any of our Region 9 schools, our service center is always open and ready to support your educational needs or concerns. State assessment can cause anxitety to all involved, but I hope you will find ease in knowing you have a regional testing coordinator that is will be there with you every step of the way.

-Holly Hawkins

R9 Assesment Coordinator

IGC for Students Not Exempt from EOC Courses Credited in Spring 2020.

Individual Graduation Committees (IGC) Student receiving diploma

SB 213 (2019) - Individual Graduation Committees
(effective through September 1, 2023)

First enacted with SB 149 (2015), Individual Graduation Committees (IGC) allow student the option to graduate even though they've not passed all of their EOC exams. A student who has failed the EOC assessment graduation requirements for no more than two, out of the number they must take, may receive a Texas high school diploma if the student has qualified to graduate by means of an individual graduation committee (IGC) determination. (Source: TEA State Graduation Requirement page)

Updates on Individual Graduation Committees (as of May 2019)

SB 213 (2019) updates SB 463 (2017), a piece of legislation which updated SB 149. SB 213 now extends the end date of this committee to September 1, 2023. Text of SB 463(opens PDF document). Text of SB 213 (2019)(opens PDF document). This legislation also allows the inclusion of TAKS students. Processes and procedures for STAAR IGC remain the same. There are currently some pieces of legislation in process for this. Stay tuned for updates.

TEA creates an FAQ document to guide districts in implementing IGCs(opens PDF document) (posted Oct 13, 2015, on TEA's Graduation Requirements page(opens external link in new window))

TEA Makes Announcement on implementation of SB149 through letter addressed to administrators(opens external link in new window) (posted on May 5, 2015)