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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the administration of certain state assessment |
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instruments to public school students and to a study of the |
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essential knowledge and skills of the required public school |
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curriculum and of certain state assessment instruments. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.023, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (a-3), (a-4), and (a-5) to read as follows: |
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(a-3) Before an assessment instrument adopted or developed |
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under Subsection (a) may be administered under that subsection, the |
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assessment instrument must, on the basis of empirical evidence, be |
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determined to be valid and reliable by an entity that is independent |
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of the agency and of any other entity that developed the assessment |
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instrument. |
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(a-4) An assessment instrument adopted or developed under |
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Subsection (a) must be designed so that a majority of students will |
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be able to complete the assessment instrument within 180 minutes. |
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(a-5) The amount of time allowed for administration of an |
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assessment instrument adopted or developed under Subsection (a) may |
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not exceed eight hours, and the administration may occur on only one |
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day. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.0236 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.0236. STUDY OF ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND |
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ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. (a) An advisory committee shall be |
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established to conduct a study regarding the essential knowledge |
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and skills of the required curriculum and assessment instruments |
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administered under Section 39.023 to students in grades three |
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through eight. The committee must be composed of: |
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(1) four members of the senate education committee |
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appointed by the lieutenant governor and four members of the house |
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public education committee appointed by the speaker of the house of |
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representatives; |
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(2) two members of the public appointed by the |
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lieutenant governor; |
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(3) two members of the public appointed by the speaker |
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of the house of representatives; and |
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(4) two members of the State Board of Education |
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appointed by the chair of the board. |
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(b) The study must evaluate: |
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(1) the number and scope of the essential knowledge |
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and skills of each subject area of the required curriculum under |
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Section 28.002 and whether the number or scope should be limited; |
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(2) the number and subjects of assessment instruments |
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under Section 39.023 that should be administered to students in |
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grades three through eight; and |
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(3) whether assessment instruments described by |
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Subdivision (2) should assess only essential knowledge and skills |
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or should also assess supporting standards. |
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(c) Not later than October 1, 2014, the committee shall |
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prepare and submit to the governor, each member of the legislature, |
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the commissioner, and the State Board of Education a report that |
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includes the results of the study and recommendations regarding |
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each issue evaluated under Subsection (b). |
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(d) This section expires June 1, 2015. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.0263 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.0263. ADMINISTRATION OF DISTRICT-REQUIRED |
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BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR |
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STATE-ADMINISTERED ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. (a) In this section, |
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"benchmark assessment instrument" means a district-required |
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assessment instrument designed to prepare students for a |
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corresponding state-administered assessment instrument. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a school district |
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may not administer to any student more than two benchmark |
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assessment instruments to prepare the student for a corresponding |
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state-administered assessment instrument. |
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(c) The prohibition prescribed by this section does not |
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apply to the administration of a college preparation assessment |
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instrument, including the PSAT, the ACT-Plan, the SAT, or the ACT, |
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an advanced placement test, an international baccalaureate |
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examination, a formative assessment used by a teacher to adjust |
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ongoing teaching and learning, or an independent classroom |
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examination designed or adopted and administered by a classroom |
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teacher. |
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(d) A parent of or person standing in parental relation to a |
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student who has special needs, as determined in accordance with |
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commissioner rule, may request administration to the student of |
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additional benchmark assessment instruments. |
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SECTION 4. Section 39.0301, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) In establishing procedures for the administration of |
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assessment instruments under Subsection (a)(1), the commissioner |
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shall ensure that the procedures are designed to minimize |
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disruptions to school operations and the classroom environment. In |
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implementing the procedures established for the administration of |
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assessment instruments under Subsection (a)(1), a school district |
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shall minimize disruptions to school operations and the classroom |
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environment. |
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SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 6. 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. |
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