Found Out That My 5Th Grader Is Being Denied Recess to Prep for STARR Test

Maybe ask before getting mad. See if it was just temporary. I seem to recall getting extra playground time after each section of the testing at least one year (it was great!)

Did you know that in the state of Texas you can opt out of standardized testing? Just a thought! :)

First, clam down. Then email or call the teacher and ask. I see parents come to school fuming over misinformation they have received from children then they end up feeling like a fool. Get facts first, then pursue if you feel the need.

Secondly, most 5th graders only get 15 minutes of recess because they are being prepped for middle school and there is NO recess in middle school. Middle school has a PE class when they dress out and are active daily.

The STAAR Test is only a couple days this week... not an ongoing thing. It is like the TAKS test, 1-2 days depending on the test and grade level. Recess has more than likely not been taken away forever.

Before you go cause a stink, get facts and know what you are doing first.

As a teacher, I would LOVE for you to report the school for this (mal)practice!

What does your school district say about breaks? I am sure there is something in the policy that says they should work so many hours before they get a break, just like a job.

Yea, I would just ask the teacher about this.. it sounds a bit shifty to me.

The difference with this test, is that it is timed.. One way this is good other ways not so good. The good part is that with the TAKS, if it took even 1 student all day long to finish, everybody had to sit quietly..
usually by reading,. Boring.. Our daughter loved it.. Used to purchase about 5 books for that test time..

Now that it is timed.. They will have some breaks.

I am going to guess, leading up to this test, they may have made recess a few minutes shorter.. but I would be surprised that they got rid of it entirely.. If they did, it is only for the week.

Also just a reminder.. Next year in 6th grade.. there is no such thing as recess.. Ever again... I know at our daughters elementary school.. towards the end of the school year, the teachers began treating the students more like 6th graders.. I think it helps to ease them in..

As we have said over and over.. You believe 50% of what your child tells you and the teachers will believe 50% of what they tell them about you and what goes on in your home.

I just want to add: After you get the facts and are sure of what's really going on (and even the best kids can misreport things), please take this to the school administration -- not the classroom teacher. The teachers have NO authority over this kind of thing; if it's true, you'll find it's something that the administration (and probably the administration over your entire school's head, like the school district superintendent's office) has decreed. The classroom teachers know better than anyone else the huge value of recess time and would prefer kids have it every single day, but the teachers also often are judged professionally on these standardized tests so they feel tremendous pressure to ax recess temporarily when the tests are approaching. But don't tear into the teachers over this issue. They are almost certainly on your side, but must do what they are told to do to ensure certain test scores and keep their jobs.

This damn test!!!
My son is in hs at bowie and im really ticked about this. We went to a meeting about this and what just threw me was the school knew no more about it than we do! My son is way past recess but that test counts for more than 25% of their grade. Did you know that? So yeah, your child can be borderline or say a low 70 all year (heh its still passing!) But say they get a 60 on that test, they can fail for the year! Its like double semester exams!! Like these poor kids don't have enough to do! They are getting rid if the TAKS test and replacing it with this one. Im sure that's why they are reducing recess. It counts so much yet AISD can give us no details. Yippee for public schools!!!

Grrrr, I seriously hate standardized testing, and this just pisses me off!!!

At our school, the 5th graders aren't getting recess either. They do still have gym though. It's one week of no recess and it's supposed to help prepare them for next year when they go to the middle school and won't get recess.

The STARR test (the former TAKS test, and all standardized tests) are ridiculous. The only thing that the STARR test has going for it is that it's new so the teachers have no clue what to teach. So for the first time in forever the teachers have to teach the kids everything, and not just teach the test.

Your daughter should still have gym, art and all her other special classes. Yes, she's missing recess for a week or so...they take the STARR tests this week, so it won't last for long.

This is the #1 reason I pulled my kids from public schools. Our public school went even further and the kids did not even get recess - ever! It's crazy to think that as adults the law protects us in the work force for breaks but we take it away from our kids for a stupid test so the school looks good. How about teach the kids during school and give them a recess! Argh! I would raise a HUGE stink!

As someone who's been peripherally or directly involved in education for much of my adult life, I don't think you're being unreasonable. Education has been pushed into a very uncomfortable corner in the last couple of decades. It's a bit like a sinking ship, with everything that makes an education a well-rounded and joyful experience for children being tossed overboard in the name of "accountability."

Call the school. Write a letter to the school board and send a copy to the editor of your local paper. Write your representatives, too. There is the beginning of a backlash against the absurd focus on testing that's driving far too many educational decisions. Teachers hate it, students hate it, I'm guessing even administrators hate it. But unless the public, parents like you, become involved in demanding change, your child will go on being subjected to this absurdity. His/her teacher probably has no personal control over the loss of recess, or art, or other activities that serve the whole child.

There are nationally-known educators who have a great deal to say about the harm of excessive homework and excessive testing. These trends are not producing better-educated students, they are producing kids who are perhaps marginally better at taking tests. One such person is Alfie Kohn: www.alfiekohn.org/articles.htm, and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aviOJ9DVcyo

Wishing you the best.

In response to Sunshine and others that may be intrigued by opting out of state testing in Texas, here is the actual wording from the texas education code - chapter 26:
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
Part B states that a parent cannot remove a child from anything that is a graduation requirement. STAAR tests in high school (beginning with this year's ninth graders) are a graduation requirement.
While a parent might be able to "opt out" children from taking benchmark tests and even maybe the STAAR tests at the elementary level, they will have to take them at the high school level. Do you really want your child to not have any experience with this kind of standardized testing? It could jepordize their graduation.
With all of that being said, I am a high school teacher in TX and I hate standardized testing. I do not really teach to the test. I figure if I'm teaching what I'm supposed to, then they will pass. However, so much pressure is put on the teachers to get their students to pass, that sometimes extra things are done - like canceling recess. I don't agree, but I'm not totally surprised. I'm interested to know which school this is since I teach in Arlington.

Sorry if I'm a little confused.
Did you kid just tell you this? They only do recess on Fridays "now" when the STAAR testing starts tomorrow?

I don't know a single kid who likes the equivelant of these tests.
A) It's a test
B) It's boring

I know plenty of parents who have asked to have their kids excused from the testing. So, they spend the time in the office or in the cafeteria quietly reading then doing a book report or writing an essay of some kind.
Also boring.

Instead of getting your hackles up and calling to complain, I would call the school to verify if this is the case. It's possible there's some miscommunication.

This is just my opinion. I've raised two kids. This testing happens and then it's over.

My son hates math. I mean says he HATES IT!!!!!
Ironically, he gets his highest scores on the tests in math. Every single time.
He may hate it, but that's one of his strongest subjects. He obviously "gets it".

Just ask the school.

Best wishes.

This is nuts. No matter what any teacher thinks, you cannot "prep" for state assessments. I work for the NY Department of Education... you're not supposed to do this! We seriously frown on doing this... it's not the point. If you have taught and assessed appropriately throughout the school year and periodically exposed the children to the structure/ nature of the "test"- you've done more than enough "prep".

Many schools here have moved away from "test prep overload" the month before the assessment b/c bottom line... it doesn't improve scores.

Me? I would call and complain. Those of you who know my on this board know that I am typically pro-school, but this is counterproductive and puts undue pressure on students who are already stressed about the exams.

And yet another reason why my kids are not in the public school.
It was 65* yesterday, so we put in a Camilia and moved some plants. We did about 2 hours of schoolwork in the morning, a couple science projects THen we went outside. Both of them came inside later and did another good hour and a half before dinner of schoolwork.

Lack of recess and gym time is a huge bone of contention for me.

I like what one of the mamas suggested, but get as many moms as you can from different schools, the middle school and high schools too. THe only way anyone is heard is to go en masse

They will learn their lesson that Recess is the salvation for both the child and the teacher. Now, I do remember when we were prepping for mid terms/finals (high school) that some of our teachers would stop us in the middle of class to do some jumping jacks or something like that and we were allowed to, mid-test ask to be excused to do jumping jacks (with teacher aid supervision) just outside the class to help us keep focus - they saw test scores improve across the board when this was implimented. You may want to introduce this as an alternative to removing recess all together. So, a conversation could go something like this
Y: Principal Smith, I understand the need to prepare for STARR and while I respect your decision to temporarily suspend recess during this time I think the children and teaching staff may suffer. So, may I offer a suggestion?
P: Well, I have done this before and we have had no backlash, but I am willing to hear your suggestion.
Y: At intervals in the day, maybe hourly the class stops and does 15 jumping jacks as a group to simply "get the blood pumping" and to help refresh the body. Kids need to move around and laugh a little and the teachers could use the relase. I have heard of this working in other settings and I think it could be worth a try here.
P: Well, I will suggest it to the teaching staff and see if this is something worth considering, thank you.
Hopefully the principal is a considerate person who really just wants what is best for the students and school.

I definitely think recess is very important, especially with Obesity on the rise.. let's not teach kids to NOT move.. .However, is this just temporary and if so, for what, a week or two? if so... then I don't think it's too big of an issue.. if it's for a month or longer, then yes, I'd have a real problem with it.. We do Iowa Testing at our school and they don't make the kids prep, the idea being that by the time you take the test (in part) you should already know certain things and if not, the tests determines as such and you go forward from that point..

I would REALLY complain, and I would rally other parents to complain as well. Exercise is proven to help everyone perform better and focus better. Denying kids recess and exercise to prep for a test is ridiculous. Shouldn't their classroom instruction have already prepped them for this? We used to take standardized tests every year and there was no special prep.

I asked my relatives in Texas. In one district they do not allow this. In three they require this.

I would too. They should not be expecting a child to sit for how many hours in a row without time to get up and move around in preparation for testing.

I would consider this:

Did this school do very bad or very well on the last standardized tests. If they did poorly they have to bring up their scores or they could be closed down and all the teachers would lose their jobs. If they did very well then they are trying to make sure they don't fall below.

Are they letting them do anything for free time? Are they really sitting for hours and hours with their heads bent over studying or doing practice testing?

I think asking the teacher these questions would be a good idea.

If they are truly doing this then I think I would go check my child out for a 15 minute break mid morning then do it again in the afternoon. They cannot NOT let you check your child out.

I would be furious! All studies show that the way to increase test scores is to INCREASE physical activity, but the school just keep ignoring that data.

Read "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" by John J. Ratey and Eric Hagerman for much more on this topic. The book describes one example of a workout program instituted at a school and the significant increase in test scores they experienced, along with a decrease in obesity.

How long were they doing recess before? I can see temporarily shaving a little time off of recess, but not denying it totally. I know that my kids don't have homework all this week because of testing. Which is fine, but does that mean they are not doing their normal classwork this week either? The impact of standardized testing is really going too far. I'm not really sure what it is reflecting since everything is changed while they are doing testing.

By the way, the exams will not effect grades this year. Teachers asked for the first year to adjust to testing before they had to start using the tests to determine student grades.