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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to school district selection of an alternative assessment |
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method in place of state-administered assessment instruments. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.026, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.026. LOCAL OPTION. (a) This subsection applies |
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only to administration of assessment instruments to students at the |
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third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth grade level. |
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, the board of |
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trustees of a school district, in place of [In addition to] the |
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assessment instruments required under Section 39.023 that are |
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adopted by the agency and administered by the State Board of |
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Education, [a school district] may provide for performance-based or |
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portfolio assessment to evaluate student learning [adopt and
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administer criterion-referenced or norm-referenced assessment
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instruments, or both,] at any grade level. |
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(b) The board of trustees must submit to the commissioner a |
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detailed plan designed to support improved student instruction and |
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learning and provide evidence of the method for accurate assessment |
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of the quality of learning to be used on district campuses. The |
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plan must include a clear description of each assessed curricular |
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goal included in the district's learning standards. |
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(c) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary for the |
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administration of Subsection (a), including rules for using |
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performance-based or portfolio assessment. |
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(d) If there is a conflict between Subsection (a) and |
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federal law or regulations as a result of the use of |
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performance-based or portfolio assessment, the agency shall seek a |
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waiver from the application of conflicting federal law or |
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regulations. |
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(e) A performance-based or portfolio [A norm-referenced] |
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assessment method [instrument adopted] under this section must be |
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approved by the commissioner [economical, nationally recognized,
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and state-approved]. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2015. |