Texas schools have yet to see a dime of $19B Congress allocated in federal stimulus money Chron 4 days ago © Ben Powell, Associated Press
For more than a year, the federal government has been pumping billions of dollars into school districts across the country to help them meet the demands of the pandemic. Most states have used that pot of stimulus funds as Congress intended: buying personal protective equipment for students and teachers, laptops for kids learning from home, improved ventilation systems for school buildings to prevent virus transmission and covering other costs.
But in Texas, local schools have yet to see an extra dime from more than $19 billion in federal stimulus money given to the state. After Congress passed the first stimulus bill last year, officials used the state s $1.3 billion education share to fill other holes in the state budget, leaving public schools with few additional resources to pay for the costs of the pandemic.
Congress allocated $19 billion in federal stimulus money to Texas public education, but schools have yet to see an extra dime
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Congress allocated $19 billion in federal stimulus money to Texas public education, but schools have yet to see an extra dime
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Despite a school year turned upside down by the coronavirus, standardized testing in Texas will go on.
A few things will be different for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, however. Grade promotion requirements have been waived for students in grades five and eight, although high school seniors still must pass the exams to graduate. And the Texas Education Agency will not grade districts based on the results.
Many other things will be the same, including a requirement that students take the test in person, even if they have been learning remotely during the pandemic.
The testing plan has its critics. Democrats in the Texas House renewed calls last week to cancel the testing this year, saying that the STAAR test does not provide an accurate picture of how students and schools are performing.
Despite a school year turned upside down by the coronavirus, standardized testing in Texas will go on.
A few things will be different for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, however. Grade promotion requirements have been waived for students in grades five and eight, although high school seniors still must pass the exams to graduate. And the Texas Education Agency will not grade districts based on the results.
Many other things will be the same, including a requirement that students take the test in person, even if they have been learning remotely during the pandemic.
The testing plan has its critics. Democrats in the Texas House renewed calls Wednesday to cancel the testing this year, saying that the STAAR test does not provide an accurate picture of how students and schools are performing.