Update on Texas Assessment Reform

Texas State Representative Dora Olivo introduced legislation (HB336 and 337) requiring schools to consider multiple aspects of a student’s academic performance, including classroom grades, before making a retention, promotion or graduation decision. The bills boasted bipartisan authorship, made it through a committee hearing, and were added as amendments to SB1108, a broader education measure. However, the Senate Education Committee, headed by Kent Grusendorf, removed the amendment, killing the provisions in committee. In spite of the setback, testing opponents are pleased at their success in rallying many individuals and organizations to support the bills. Their campaign left in place a statewide network of assessment reformers who plan to continue the fight in the next legislative session.