As the end of the school year approaches, so do the STAAR tests. For 8th graders, students have to take a test for each subject, giving them an increase of two more tests than the other grades.
Each year, each grade is required to take the STAAR tests. Sixth and seventh graders are only required to take two; one for English, on the 15th, and the other for Math, on April 29th. However, during eighth grade, the subjects being tested on have increased, now including Science, on the 22nd, and History, on the 23rd. For some, this doesn’t affect them at all and is just a small adjustment. For other students, however, this is a difficult change, increasing pressure and work.
“I’m nervous because history is going to be tested on, and it’s my worst subject,” eighth grader Evalyn Tao said. “I think my teachers have been helpful, though. I’ll be using Ms. Poncik’s advice of doing a brain dump once the science test starts because it’s been helping me in class.”
Many students are nervous and dislike the idea for so many tests, feeling anxious and unprepared. Eighth grader Ny’Quira Milligan does not think STAAR is necessary in general and is not ready.
“I think that taking a STAAR test on all four subjects is dumb,” Milligan said. “It should be two max. I also don’t feel prepared at all, teachers have barely mentioned STAAR. I’m worried about failing.”
Eighth grader Tiffany Sims joined Kelly Lane this year and is new to Texas. She’s nervous since it’s her first time doing the Texas STAAR, but she’s taken state tests for Math, English, and History, so she’s not too affected by the change.
“It shouldn’t be too different from the other state tests I’ve done but it’s still not the same as what I’m familiar with,” Sims said. “I’m mostly concerned about how I’m going to do on the math test, the Texas curriculum is not the same as the tests I’m used to. It’s just a lot of tests to answer all the questions and then do nothing.”
In the past few weeks, teachers have been helping students get ready for the tests. Eighth grader Jerry Acosta thinks that “all my teachers have done really to prepare us, I’m just lazy.”
“I’m a little nervous, mostly for history since we haven’t done it yet and it’s hard to stay awake in that class,” Acosta said. “I don’t like testing days–I don’t like having to sit still for so long and not get to see my friends. I’m mostly concerned about hitting my daily move goal.”
Along with many others, eighth grader Lujain Kadhim feels overwhelmed with the loads of packets and reviews that teachers are flooding students with.
“Everyone is very stressed,” Kadhim said. “Teachers are piling a bunch of work on us trying to make sure they’ve covered everything we need, and when the testing day comes you can tell the vibe is sad and nobody wants to be there.”