Cedar Park High School’s DECA chapter is navigating major changes this year after the district introduced a new rule requiring competitors to pass a business administration exam before attending conferences. The adjustment has prompted mixed reactions from students and provided a new structure for the organization as the competition season approaches.

I was pretty surprised at first,” said junior DECA competitor Joshua Wicketts. “When they announced that everyone needed to take the test, my group and I went into our event thinking we didn’t have to study or do any test-related practices. We were really blindsided because this was very sudden and unexpected, and we felt we were not prepared at all.

The new requirement adds a 50-question exam that all competitors must pass with a score of 70% or higher, marking the first time the district has required a universal test for every competitive event. The goal is to standardize preparation and ensure that funding is directed toward students who are committed to participating.

“The district pays all of the registration fees for competitions, and it had gotten to where there were so many students joining DECA who weren’t actually in business classes,” said business teacher Diana Gage. “The district wanted to make sure the money was going to students serious about competing.”

The district’s competition fees are funded through CTE allocations, which have been impacted by budget reductions across LISD. Membership growth at several campuses has also increased the cost of sending full teams to district and state conferences.

“With so many competitors, it becomes very expensive,” senior DECA Executive Vice President Kylie Ligas said. “The budget cuts that have been implemented in public education in the past year have caused LISD to lose funding, and to that effect, these changes are a result of ensuring the district is not wasting money to send non-competitive or underprepared competitors.”

Students were notified of the new requirement during the fall semester, leaving a short period for preparation before the testing window closed. DECA events range from role plays to written plans, and many competitors typically choose categories based on whether they include an exam component.

“Our organization is all about business and service, and part of what comes with that is responsibility and accountability,” Ligas said. “As first-year members, it could be daunting, especially given the fact that we were working out the kinks as it was happening, but overall, members had about two weeks.”

The district’s new rule requires all competitors—regardless of event—to take the same business administration exam. The test covers general business concepts that apply broadly across DECA categories but may not connect directly to every event’s focus.

“I feel as though the test is somewhat obsolete in my event because we have to come up with a business idea and pitch it to judges, not memorize random intricate facts about the ins and outs of business,” said Wicketts. “There were some questions I had never seen before, and I had to guess or use context clues.”

Despite the concerns, Cedar Park posted strong results. According to advisor records, 88% of competitors passed the exam, and students were given six different opportunities to take it during the testing window.

“I’m very proud of the kids that did this,” said Gage. “We encouraged the ones who didn’t pass to stay involved, keep coming to meetings and start preparing now for next year.”