OUR MISSION:
There are two equally important objectives ahead for Academic Equity Advocates (AEA) in terms of evaluating and exposing the public education accountability system of Texas whose foundation has been student testing since the formative year of 1989.
That’s when formal field testing for the first official accountability test of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) began leading to its introduction in 1990 and formal accountability implementation in 1993.
Over the next now almost 35 years, the combined and cumulative student testing programs have negatively impacted virtually every aspect of the instructional practices of public education. TAAS was followed by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) which transitioned to the current State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR).
The harsh reality is that the Texas Education Agency institutionally has substantially and pervasively manipulated its testing program(s) in different ways over three decades with the same apparent motivation of grossly and systemically misrepresenting any credible semblance of academic integrity.
OUR MISSION:
- EDUCATE. We’ll explain in detail over the three testing cycles just how pervasive the manipulation and gross misrepresentation of the TEA’s TAAS to STAAR eras were and remain, and how this distortion was implemented and became such a destructive force in public education itself.
- ADVOCATE. In a variety of ways, we will help provide parents and communities with the information and strategies they can use to be more effective advocates directly for the children within that system or in their school district’s communities. As requested, and in certain ways, we will be prepared to directly help families and communities in their advocacy efforts.
That’s the mission summarized. Each of our home page ‘headers’ will be integral tools to helping us accomplish this mission by helping you accomplish your personal mission. A brief overview of our website home pages will follow on these topics: Mission, Testing History, Direct Equity Testing for Families, Direct Instructional Support for Families, Advocacy Efforts for Families and Communities, and External Reports.
Retired community-based journalist and public policy organizational leader George Scott will be the project director of this effort. Scott’s experience includes service as president of a major industry-backed nonprofit public policy research organization in Harris County, Texas for which public educational accountability matters were an important aspect of the group’s agenda. Scott once served as a member of the TEA Commissioner’s Accountability Advisory Committee before he resigned in substantial disagreement over the accountability system. Scott also served as a community-based news editor, publisher, and owner of various newspaper publications during his career. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Harris County Appraisal District at one point during his career.
Scott will call upon a team of independent experts (mostly retired enjoying full independence) in a variety of public education roles during their career including both classroom instruction and management to help guide the work of Academic Equity Advocates. Scott can be reached at ghscott2050@aol.com.