Proposed changes to Texas' school accountability system - KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: News, Weather, Sports. ABC, 24/7, Telemundo -

Proposed changes to Texas' school accountability system

Texas - Public outcry over high-stakes testing is now being heard.

Educational organizations have a plan to change our state's school accountability system.

The STAAR test controversy continues and it's a big topic of discussion statewide.

Many business leaders in Texas are now supporting modifications to graduation and testing requirements implemented this past spring, which they had previously opposed.

Leaders are backing five initiatives,including allowing local school districts to determine how end-of-course exams factor into students' final grades, reducing the number of exams they must pass to graduate and providing different ways to earn a high school diploma.

Students now take around 15 exams but that would be reduced depending on the diploma path they are on. Some could take as little as six exams.

The initiative also supports giving school districts flexibility on the use of grading.

The changes would alter House Bill 3, passed in 2009, which established the STAAR test and tied those scores along with end-of-course exams to graduation readiness.

This comes as incoming results from STAAR tests across the state show many students may not have the scores to graduate.

STAAR test scores were made optional this year and our area chose not to count them as 15-percent of students grades.