Based on the feedback of countless parents and educators in my District, I strongly believe that the upcoming STAAR tests should be canceled. This morning I sent this letter to Governor Abbott expressing my concerns and asking asking him to do so. #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/DRK8CiIXs8 — Jeff Leach (@leachfortexas) March 14, 2020

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As cases of COVID-19 in Texas continue to rise and students are out of school, Gov. Greg Abbott has announced he will waive the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year.The governor also announced Monday that he is requesting the Department of Education waive federal testing requirements for the 2019-2020 academic year."Your health and safety are top priorities, and the state of Texas will give school districts flexibility to protect and ensure the health of students, faculty, and their families," the governor said. "We will empower schools to make the best decisions to protect their communities from COVID-19."The move comes as one Texas lawmaker shared his concerns via Twitter over the weekend, saying he strongly believes Abbott should consider canceling the annual STAAR test.State Representative Jeff Leach wrote a letter to Abbott encouraging him to think about students who are now on an extended Spring Break, saying that classroom schedules have been interrupted and that families have experienced stress and pressure due to the rapid spread of coronavirus.Friday, Abbott declared a state of disaster as cases in Texas continued to rise.Presidentannounced on Saturday that he underwent testing after officials said he was in direct contact with a foreign national who tested positive for the illness. His results came back negative.READ MORE: Child tests positive for coronavirus