STAAR stands for State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness.The STAAR test is a test that grades 3-12th grade have to take. According to the “Texas Management System” the STAAR test is “designed to measure what students are learning in each grade and whether or not they are ready for the next grade, the goal is to ensure that all students receive what they need to be academically successful.” These tests are required to move on to the next grade, but some people think it’s unnecessary to take.

In my opinion, the STAAR tests are unnecessary because many kids can get anxiety/stress before the tests start. It can affect the way they way they test that day. Teachers don’t talk about having anxiety/stress before the test starts which may make kids worry more. Many people may think that kids don’t stress or have anxiety before tests because they don’t show it, but you never know. According to a February 22, 2019 Texas Public Radio article, Mimi Swartz an executive editor of Texas Monthly says “studies found that these tests are too hard, with material that is almost two years ahead of student’s expected reading level.”

Whenever STAAR testing comes up, I get very nervous and stressed because I don’t know if I do well or not. My confidence goes down a lot whenever I start testing. The night before STAAR tests I try to look at all my study guides, so I can memorize the information for the test. Sometimes it helps, but whenever I sit down and start taking it my mind draws a blank which can be very annoying, but at the end I try my very best to focus and stay on task.

The STAAR tests are very unnecessary because they can cause stress/anxiety to many kids including me. I hope the STAAR tests come to an end soon because we wouldn’t have to worry about them anymore.