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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the assessment of fourth and seventh grade public |
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school students in writing and English language arts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.023(a), Education Code, as effective |
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until on or before September 1, 2015, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The agency shall adopt or develop appropriate |
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criterion-referenced assessment instruments designed to assess |
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essential knowledge and skills in reading, English language arts |
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[writing], mathematics, social studies, and science. Except as |
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provided by Subsection (a-2), all students, other than students |
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assessed under Subsection (b) or (l) or exempted under Section |
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39.027, shall be assessed in: |
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(1) mathematics, annually in grades three through |
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seven without the aid of technology and in grade eight with the aid |
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of technology on any assessment instrument that includes algebra; |
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(2) reading, annually in grades three through eight; |
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(3) English language arts [writing], including |
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spelling and grammar, in grades four and seven; |
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(4) social studies, in grade eight; |
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(5) science, in grades five and eight; and |
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(6) any other subject and grade required by federal |
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law. |
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SECTION 2. Section 39.023(a), Education Code, as effective |
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on or before September 1, 2015, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The agency shall adopt or develop appropriate |
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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 |
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assessed under Subsection (b) or (l) or exempted under Section |
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39.027, shall be assessed in: |
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(1) mathematics, in grades three and five without the |
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aid of technology and in grade eight with the aid of technology on |
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any assessment instrument that includes algebra; |
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(2) reading, in grades three, five, and eight; |
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(3) English language arts [writing], including |
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spelling and grammar, in grades four and seven; |
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(4) social studies, in grade eight; and |
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(5) science, in grades five and eight. |
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SECTION 3. Section 39.023(a), Education Code, as effective |
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September 1, 2017, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The agency shall adopt or develop appropriate |
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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 |
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39.027, shall be assessed in: |
|
(1) mathematics, annually in grades three through |
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seven without the aid of technology and in grade eight with the aid |
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of technology on any assessment instrument that includes algebra; |
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(2) reading, annually in grades three through eight; |
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(3) English language arts [writing], including |
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spelling and grammar, in grades four and seven; |
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(4) social studies, in grade eight; |
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(5) science, in grades five and eight; and |
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(6) any other subject and grade required by federal |
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law. |
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SECTION 4. Section 39.023, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (q) to read as follows: |
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(q) A writing sample submitted by a student in connection |
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with an assessment instrument administered under this section, |
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other than an English I or English II end-of-course assessment |
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instrument described by Subsection (c), may not be used to assess |
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the student's writing for purposes of accountability under this |
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chapter or for purposes of grade promotion criteria. Except as |
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provided by Subsection (c), the assessment of a student's writing |
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is governed by Section 39.0264. |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.0264 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.0264. LOCAL ASSESSMENT REQUIRED FOR WRITING IN |
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CERTAIN GRADES. (a) To evaluate student achievement in writing, |
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each school district shall assess students in grades four and seven |
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in accordance with the essential knowledge and skills for writing. |
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A district may use any method the district determines appropriate |
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for assessing students under this section, including portfolio |
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assessment. |
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(b) School districts shall report to the agency, as |
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determined by agency rule, the results of assessments required |
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under this section. |
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(c) The results of assessments required under this section |
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may not be used for purposes of accountability under this chapter or |
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for purposes of grade promotion criteria. |
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SECTION 6. Not later than September 1, 2016, the Texas |
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Education Agency shall adopt or develop appropriate |
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criterion-referenced assessment instruments designed to assess |
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essential knowledge and skills in English language arts as required |
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by Section 39.023, Education Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 7. This Act applies beginning with the 2016-2017 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 8. 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. |