| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to limiting certain state-required assessment instruments |
|
|
administered to public school students in certain grades to |
|
|
assessments required by federal law. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 39.023(a), Education Code, as effective |
|
|
until on or before September 1, 2015, is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The agency shall adopt or develop appropriate |
|
|
criterion-referenced assessment instruments designed to assess |
|
|
essential knowledge and skills in subjects for which assessment is |
|
|
required by federal law [reading, writing, mathematics, social
|
|
|
studies, and science]. Except as provided by Subsection (a-2), all |
|
|
students, other than students assessed under Subsection (b) or (l) |
|
|
or exempted under Section 39.027, shall be assessed in[:
|
|
|
[(1)
mathematics, annually in grades three through
|
|
|
seven without the aid of technology and in grade eight with the aid
|
|
|
of technology on any assessment instrument that includes algebra;
|
|
|
[(2) reading, annually in grades three through eight;
|
|
|
[(3)
writing, including spelling and grammar, in
|
|
|
grades four and seven;
|
|
|
[(4) social studies, in grade eight;
|
|
|
[(5) science, in grades five and eight; and
|
|
|
[(6)] any [other] subject and grade required by |
|
|
federal law. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 39.023(a), Education Code, as effective |
|
|
on or before September 1, 2015, is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The agency shall adopt or develop appropriate |
|
|
criterion-referenced assessment instruments designed to assess |
|
|
essential knowledge and skills in subjects for which assessment is |
|
|
required by federal law [reading, writing, mathematics, social
|
|
|
studies, and science]. Except as provided by Subsection (a-2), all |
|
|
students, other than students assessed under Subsection (b) or (l) |
|
|
or exempted under Section 39.027, shall be assessed in any subject |
|
|
and grade required by federal law[:
|
|
|
[(1)
mathematics, in grades three and five without the
|
|
|
aid of technology and in grade eight with the aid of technology on
|
|
|
any assessment instrument that includes algebra;
|
|
|
[(2) reading, in grades three, five, and eight;
|
|
|
[(3)
writing, including spelling and grammar, in
|
|
|
grades four and seven;
|
|
|
[(4) social studies, in grade eight; and
|
|
|
[(5) science, in grades five and eight]. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 39.023(a), Education Code, as effective |
|
|
September 1, 2017, is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The agency shall adopt or develop appropriate |
|
|
criterion-referenced assessment instruments designed to assess |
|
|
essential knowledge and skills in subjects for which assessment is |
|
|
required by federal law [reading, writing, mathematics, social
|
|
|
studies, and science]. Except as provided by Subsection (a-2), all |
|
|
students, other than students assessed under Subsection (b) or (l) |
|
|
or exempted under Section 39.027, shall be assessed in[:
|
|
|
[(1)
mathematics, annually in grades three through
|
|
|
seven without the aid of technology and in grade eight with the aid
|
|
|
of technology on any assessment instrument that includes algebra;
|
|
|
[(2) reading, annually in grades three through eight;
|
|
|
[(3)
writing, including spelling and grammar, in
|
|
|
grades four and seven;
|
|
|
[(4) social studies, in grade eight;
|
|
|
[(5) science, in grades five and eight; and
|
|
|
[(6)] any [other] subject and grade required by |
|
|
federal law. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
|
|
school year. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |