No. Parents may not have students opt out of any testing. While ÁùºÏ±¦µä and others might be empathetic to some of their feelings, by law there is no "opt out" for students. Please see the applicable law from the Texas Education Code pertaining to statewide accountability testing for your review and consideration:
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. (Emphasis added.)
ÁùºÏ±¦µä encourages parents who believe the standardized tests place undue pressure on their students to meet with their child's school counselor to develop solutions tailored to their child's needs.
For more information, contact the Office of Accountability and Assessment at (512) 414-9982.