FILE – In this Feb. 12, 2015, file photo, sixth grade students use a practice session to prepare for a standards test. In Texas, students will move to a fully online STAAR standardized testing ...

Ahead of the official STAAR tests, students have already taken mock assessments to practice, which helps alleviate stress, said Leigh O'Neal, CCISD coordinator for intervention and student ...

The state standardized test has long been criticized for taking instructional time away from teachers and putting unnecessary pressure on students.