STAAR is an academic norm for the students in Texas.

From elementary school to now in high school, students are dependent on passing the state test in order to advance to the next grade. However, students and teachers alike are questioning if testing is worth the stress or the extensive preparation. 

 “My opinion is that it’s not needed, because it’s kind of easy for someone to fail if they have certain issues,” junior Joshua Williams said.

 Testing anxiety and overstressing are significant problems students might face.

The exam could be beneficial in the fact that it shows the growth of students’ knowledge about the subject, but does putting too much emphasis on the STAAR test take away from the experience?

“I believe it can be good, but I also think there’s too much state testing,” one teacher said. “It changes the way we have to teach classes; we have to teach to the test instead of teaching in a more engaging manner.” 

Students believe boiling down the high school experience and making a diploma hedging upon the STAAR testing isn’t right and can be unfair.

“One test shouldn’t determine if you graduate or not,” freshman Richard Daniels said.

 STAAR testing has been present in our school system since 2011, but we might be wondering will it cease from being mandatory because of the complaints towards it and the problems it might cause to students? We shall see.