C.S.H.B. 817 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 817
By: Hochberg
Public Education
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

When the state develops a new state assessment, the State Board of
Education sets the passing standard.  In subsequent years, the Texas
Education Agency determines the percentage of questions that must be
answered correctly in order to meet that standard. Overtime, the percent
of correctly answered questions necessary to receive a passing score of 70
on the TAAS decreased significantly, in some cases to as low as 48%. Yet
the score is still reported to parents as a 70.  C.S.H.B. 817 keeps the
percentage of questions that must be answered correctly to meet the state
board's passing standard from dropping more than 10% below the level
established by the board.    


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 


ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 817 amends the Education Code to provide that the percentage of
questions that a student must answer correctly on an assessment instrument
to meet the level of performance considered satisfactory may be lower than
the score set by the State Board of Education (board) as meeting the
minimum level of performance considered satisfactory, except that the
percentage of questions that a student must answer correctly may not be
more than 10 percent lower than the score set by the board. 


EFFECTIVE DATE

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2003. 


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 817 modifies the original version to conform to Texas Legislative
Council style and format.