HISD Superintendent Mike Miles has issued directives urging schools to prioritize daily lessons over direct State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test preparation.
In his weekly email to principals, Miles emphasized the importance of focusing on the curriculum and quality instruction rather than overemphasizing standardized testing. Obtained by the Houston Chronicle, Miles’ email instructed principals to ensure that teachers concentrate on daily lesson objectives, known as Demonstrations of Learning (DoL), while discouraging excessive test preparation activities.
“Neither the STAAR exams nor the NWEA and EOY assessments should be overemphasized for teachers and students,” Miles wrote in his email. “Teachers should focus on the curriculum and the quality of instruction. Students should focus on the (Demonstrations of Learning) and learning the objective for the day every day.”
Miles advised against using intensive test preparation techniques, such as repeated assessments, to prepare students for the STAAR or NWEA examinations while permitting direct instruction and some differentiated instruction to review important ideas.
The move away from an over-reliance on test prep is consistent with the long-standing worries expressed by parents and educators in the Houston Independent School District about the overemphasis on standardized testing. Critics argue that this kind of emphasis takes away from important curricular requirements and meaningful classroom learning experiences.
One HISD math teacher who opted to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation was concerned if this decision would impact the test scores.
“We want our students to be as prepared as possible and to keep what they are learning fresh in their minds in time for the exam,” the teacher said. “I thought the whole point is to improve test scores so we focus on getting our elected board of trustees back to represent us again.”
Standardized testing has important practical ramifications for HISD, as test results are a major factor in schools’ statewide accountability ratings. These ratings then impact how administrators and instructors are evaluated, which in turn affects things like salary and job security.
The STAAR test scores from the previous year highlighted HISD’s difficulties, and Miles admitted to performing below par. Pointing out data demonstrating differences in reading ability, Miles underlined the need for development, especially in elementary and middle school grades.
