The Texas Legislature is full of idiots

Parent Cafe
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<p>So, a few year ago, in an act of prostitution to the travel industry, the Texas legislature mandated a school start date that was two weeks later than most schools normally started. This is the first year of the new later start date. I’ve already ranted about the kids having 2 weeks less time in their AP classes (because the CB cetainly didn’t make them be 2 weeks later). (The response of many of you was “Don’t whine-we start after Labor Day.”)</p>

<p>Well, here’s the latest. Texas has mandatory testing called the TAKS tests. High schoolers, and 11th graders in particular, take a lot of those. Due to the change in the school calendar, the TAKS tests are later than usual. They are next week-the week before AP exams. They give the TAKs tests Tues through Friday; if you don’t have a test that day, you don’t come till noon. Each class will meet exactly once between next Tues and Fri and due to TAKS, the teachers are not allowed to hold before or after school tutorials. SO…the week before AP exams, the kids won’t have class and the teachers aren’t allowed to hold review sessions. I am pretty close to positive that our brilliant Texas legislators did not give a second of thought to all of this.</p>

<p>Since they don’t have to study for the TAKs tests, I’m going to try to make sure my kids are using next week to read their review books, etc. But the timing is just ridiculous!</p>

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<p>Missypie, in the spirit of commiserating with you, one year, the MCAS (taken by 10th graders) were held the same week as the APs. I wrote to DOE to complain and was told that taking the MCAS was mandatory (in other words, since the APs were not, MCAS had priority). Luckily, my S was then in 8th grade, not 10th.</p>

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<p>I guess the number of students who take the APs exams is statistically tiny, when compared to the high school population of any particular state. But the exams could so easily be another week, if any thought at all had been given to it.</p>