84R7893 PAM-F
 
  By: VanDeaver H.B. No. 1164
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the assessment of public school students in writing and
  English language arts.
         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 reading, English language arts
  [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)  English language arts [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 reading, English language arts
  [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, 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)  English language arts [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 reading, English language arts
  [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)  English language arts [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.  Section 39.023, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (q) to read as
  follows:
         (c)  The agency shall also adopt end-of-course assessment
  instruments for secondary-level courses in Algebra I, biology,
  English I, English II, and United States history.  The Algebra I
  end-of-course assessment instrument must be administered with the
  aid of technology.  The English I and English II end-of-course
  assessment instruments must each assess essential knowledge and
  skills in both reading and language arts [writing] in the same
  assessment instrument and must provide a single score.  A school
  district shall comply with State Board of Education rules regarding
  administration of the assessment instruments listed in this
  subsection.  If a student is in a special education program under
  Subchapter A, Chapter 29, the student's admission, review, and
  dismissal committee shall determine whether any allowable
  modification is necessary in administering to the student an
  assessment instrument required under this subsection.  The State
  Board of Education shall administer the assessment
  instruments.  The State Board of Education shall adopt a schedule
  for the administration of end-of-course assessment instruments
  that complies with the requirements of Subsection (c-3).
         (q)  A writing sample submitted by a student in connection
  with an assessment instrument administered under this section may
  not be used to assess the student's writing for purposes of
  accountability under this chapter or for purposes of grade
  promotion or graduation criteria. The assessment of a student's
  writing is governed by Section 39.0264.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 39.0264 to read as follows:
         Sec. 39.0264.  LOCAL ASSESSMENT REQUIRED: WRITING. To
  evaluate student achievement in writing, each school district shall
  assess students in grades four and seven and at the end of English I
  and English II secondary-level courses in accordance with the
  essential knowledge and skills for writing. A district may use any
  method the district determines appropriate for assessing students
  under this section, including portfolio assessment.
         SECTION 6.  Not later than September 1, 2016, the Texas
  Education Agency shall adopt or develop appropriate
  criterion-referenced assessment instruments designed to assess
  essential knowledge and skills in English language arts as required
  by Section 39.023, Education Code, as amended by this Act.
         SECTION 7.  This Act applies beginning with the 2016-2017
  school year.
         SECTION 8.  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.