The Commissioner of Education, Robert Scott, and the Texas Education Agency announced today more information about the next generation of the state testing and accountability program.  Starting in the 2011-2012 school year, TAKS tests will be replaced with a "significantly more rigorous" test called the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STARR.

An interesting piece of the new plan calls for a complete suspension of the state's accountability and rating system in 2012 while a new system is developed.  This will give schools in Texas a reprieve for one year on rankings while the new tests are broken in.

For more information, read this article from the Austin American Statesman.