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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to state assessment instruments administered in grades |
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three through eight in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.023(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The agency shall adopt or develop appropriate |
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criterion-referenced assessment instruments, that are established |
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empirically to be valid and reliable by an entity that is |
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independent of the test developer and the agency, and designed to |
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assess essential knowledge and skills in reading, writing, |
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mathematics, social studies, and science. Except as provided by |
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Subsection (a-2), all students, other than students assessed under |
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Subsection (b) or (l) or exempted under Section 39.027, shall be |
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assessed in: |
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(1) mathematics, annually in grades three through |
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seven without the aid of technology and in grade eight with the aid |
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of technology on any assessment instrument that includes algebra; |
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(2) reading, annually in grades three through eight; |
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[(3)] [writing, including spelling and grammar, in
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grades four and seven;
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[(4) social studies, in grade eight;
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(3) [(5)] science, in grades five and eight; and |
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(4) [(6)] any other subject and grade required by |
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federal law. |
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(a-1) Criterion-referenced assessment instruments shall be |
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designed to measure only readiness standards as identified by the |
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agency for the purposes of determining passing rates for use in the |
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school accountability ratings. The agency may also include |
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supporting standards in the assessment for diagnostic and reporting |
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purposes only and may not use the results of items related to |
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supporting standards for accountability rating purposes. |
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(1) In (a-1) "readiness standards" shall mean only |
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those standards that are essential for success in the current grade |
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or course |
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(2) In (a-2) "supporting standards" shall mean |
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standards that are referenced or introduced in the current grade or |
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course and are readiness standards in another grade or course |
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SECTION 2. Section 39.023(r), Education Code, is added to |
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read as follows: |
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(r) Assessment instruments shall be designed and |
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administered as follows: |
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(1) For grades 3 through 5 the assessment shall be |
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designed such that 85% of students complete the assessment within |
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120 minutes. |
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(2) For grades 6 through 8 the assessment shall be |
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designed such that 85% of students complete the assessment within |
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180 minutes |
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(3) The maximum time allowed for the test shall be 8 |
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hours and it shall be administered in one calendar day. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |