Texas Tech K-12 Leaders Team Up to Travel for Testing

By Leslie Cranford, section manager

Ah, spring. Sun shining, birds singing, flowers blooming … and end-of-course (EOC) and STAAR testing for students in Texas public schools. For Texas Tech K-12 learners, who are considered “homeschooled,” the testing process in some cases could be as strenuous as the tests themselves, considering access and proctor challenges.

For the third consecutive year, Texas Tech K-12 staff and administrators hit the road (and internet), taking testing to students around the state, country and globally to make it less stressful and more successful.

From April 14 through April 25, 38 staff members traveled across Texas, mostly by car, to administer STAAR and STAAR EOC tests.

“The group included amazing administrators like our wonderful acting superintendent, principals, advisors, teachers and registrar,” said Cory Miller, Texas Tech K-12 district testing coordinator.

The travelers set up 25 sites in Texas and utilized 13 certified or bonded proctors, nine of whom administered tests on site with the remaining four administering tests out of state and in Germany, Thailand and Tunisia.

Stateside, 463 students in grades 3-12 took 984 STAAR tests or EOC exams, while internationally 394 students in grades 9-12 took 399 EOC exams.

Tiffany Rundell, testing coordinator for grades 3-8, said they couldn’t have pulled it off without people helping behind the scenes.

“Teresa McCumber, administrative support; Frank Recio, IT; and Jacob Salazar, shipping logistics, were instrumental in organizing and sending supplies out to our sites,” Rundell said. “Without them we would not have been able to successfully test our students.”

Acting Superintendent Cari Moye is always glad to meet students in person, whether it’s at the annual Raiderpalooza, the recent Spring Fling event or even during testing season.

“Even though our students may not think STAAR testing is the most fun part of school, we actually love it—because we get to see them in person,” Moye said. “We have such a great group of students, and it’s always great to connect with them, even if it’s during testing.”