Letter to Parent Requesting Opting Out of STAAR Testing

[Parents Name]:
I have received your letter dated [ENTER DATE] requesting that [STUDENTS NAME] not be
administered the STAAR assessment. Plano ISD has no authority to grant any request for an
exemption from state mandated STAAR assessments.
State Education Code 26.010 specifically states the following:
Sec. 26.010. EXEMPTION FROM INSTRUCTION.
(a) A parent is entitled to remove the parent's child temporarily from a class or other
school activity that conflicts with the parent's religious or moral beliefs if the parent
presents or delivers to the teacher of the parent's child a written statement authorizing
the removal of the child from the class or other school activity. A parent is not entitled
to remove the parent's child from a class or other school activity to avoid a test or
to prevent the child from taking a subject for an entire semester.
(b) This section does not exempt a child from satisfying grade level or graduation
requirements in a manner acceptable to the school district and the agency.
Under state law, successfully completing STAAR End-of-Course assessments are necessary
to meet graduation requirements.
STAAR 3-8 assessments are part of the grade
advancement criteria and Student Success Initiative (SSI) requirements for Grades 5 and 8.
If your child is in attendance on any state mandated assessment day, the student will be
provided with a test booklet and answer document. The answer document will be submitted
for scoring even though none of the questions were answered.
In order not to be assigned to a testing room, you must provide a formal letter, ahead of the
testing date, stating that your child will not participate in state mandated assessments. We will
consider the request and follow state education rules and guidelines.
This letter should not be taken as any indication that Plano ISD agrees with any claims,
assertions or statements in your letter.
If you have any further questions related to state testing, please contact [PRINCIPALS NAME
and CONTACT INFORMATION].