By A. Patrick Huff, Ph.D. 03.26.2025
Introduction:
T
he dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education presents an opportunity to reform public education by eliminating the burdensome Accountability System and replacing the STAAR testin Texas with a more effective alternative. This paper advocates for the adoption of a norm referenced testing model, such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. In addition, this paper will present a pathway that will restore curriculum responsibility and teacher evaluation back to the
local Independent School Districts.
Problems with the Accountability System and STAAR
The current Accountability System, centered around the STAAR test, has proven ineffective in fostering genuine learning and student success. The STAAR test:
• Places undue stress on students and teachers.
• Encourages teaching to the test rather than fostering critical thinking and creativity.
• Fails to accommodate diverse learning styles and needs.
• Limits teacher autonomy and innovation in the classroom.
Additionally, the practice of rating schools based on standardized test scores has been detrimental to public education. School ratings:
• Create an unfair stigma for underperforming schools without addressing root causes.
• Encourage administrative focus on test preparation rather than holistic student development.
• Disadvantage schools in lower-income areas by reinforcing systemic inequities.
• The fact that the current testing program is a one size fits all program causes it to discriminate against schools located in neighborhoods of poverty and rewards those schools located in affluent neighborhoods.
Benefits of Norm-Referenced Testing
A more effective approach is the implementation of a norm-referenced test such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Benefits of this model include:
• Measuring student performance against a national standard rather than an arbitrary state benchmark.
• Providing meaningful insights into student progress without excessive test preparation.
• Allowing for a broader assessment of student learning across various subjects.
Restoring Local Control Over Curriculum and Teacher Evaluations
Public education functions best when local stakeholders—teachers, parents, and administrators— have control over curriculum and teacher evaluations. Restoring authority to ISDs will:
• Enable districts to tailor curriculum to local needs and student populations.
• Allow for more comprehensive and fair teacher evaluations based on classroom performance rather than standardized test scores.
• Encourage innovation in teaching methods and curriculum development.
Policy Recommendations and Implementation Steps
To transition away from the current system, the following steps should be taken:
1. Repeal the STAAR testing mandate and replace it with norm-referenced assessments.
2. Eliminate the school rating system to prevent the stigmatization of schools and teachers.
3. Transfer authority for curriculum development and teacher evaluations from the state to local ISDs.
4. Provide funding and resources to assist districts in developing their own educational frameworks.
5. Establish a transitional plan to ensure smooth implementation of these changes, that will include a re-design of teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities.
6. Solicit the assistance of veteran, experienced teachers and administrators that remember the public education system before the system was radically changed in the early 1990’s.
Conclusion
Eliminating the Accountability System, STAAR testing, and the school rating system in favor of a norm-referenced assessment, while restoring local control, will create a more effective and student-centered public education system. These reforms will enhance learning outcomes, empower educators, and better prepare students for future success.
The current model used for public education has not produced the desired results its promoters advertised. The more time that goes by the further behind our students will become. Time is of the essence and Texas Legislators must act quickly if this course of failure is to be reversed. It’s time to return our ISD’s to local control and give back the authority for instruction to the teachers and the responsibility for learning back to the students.
Texas has a once in a lifetime opportunity to redirect its public education system and return it to true local control. By following these recommendations Texas can become the leader in public education and return its schools to the high standard they once occupied. In doing so, billions of dollars will be saved through this new approach, and these dollars can help solve the current funding shortages Texas is currently experiencing.
Dr. Patrick Huff is a retired educator of thirty-four years, with experience as a middle school and high school principal. His public education experience was obtained in Aldine ISD, Conroe ISD, and Klein ISD. After retiring from public education, Dr. Huff taught as an adjunct professor in the graduate school at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX.
He has a B.S. from Texas Christian University, an M.Ed. from Sam Houston State University, and a Ph.D. from Prairie View A&M University.
His awareness and insight into the domination of testing in today’s public schools and the unrealistic mandates of No Child Left Behind law, led him to write The Takeover of the Public School System in America: The Agenda to Control Information and Knowledge Through the Accountability System, 2015.
He currently lives in Tomball, Texas with his wife Connie.
