F-bombs found by Texas fifth graders on the state-mandated STAAR test

The Texas Education Agency has apologized after fifth graders discovered F-bombs 

on the state-mandated STAAR test.

"This is in no way acceptable or appropriate, and we deeply regret that these images 

appeared on the test. We apologize to all our parents and students, and in the spirit of 

continuous improvement, we pledge to ensure this issue never occurs again," TEA 

spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson said in a statement.

The F-words were first pointed out by students who took the reading portion of the 

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test on April 10.

"A passage with embedded images of a graffiti park appeared as part of field testing 

for some fifth-grade Texas students. After the test was administered, TEA discovered 

that two of the included images contained vulgar words in very small lettering," 

Culbertson said in a statement.

The TEA said it designs multiple versions of the test. Culbertson declined to say 

how many versions were created citing it is as part of the test's security.

The agency distributed 413,290 test booklets. Of those, the images impacted 15,697.

The TEA's apology came after learning that students had spotted the obscenities on 

the test, according to Culbertson.

What is the STAAR test?

The controversial standardized tests are administered in multiple subjects across

 various grade levels in public schools.

Results are used by the state to help determine grade-level readiness, student 

achievements, and for rating educators and schools.