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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the pilot program for assessing public school students |
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in writing under an alternative method. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.02301, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b), (d), (f), (g), (h), and (j) and adding |
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Subsections (b-1) and (b-2) to read as follows: |
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(b) During the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022, [2016-2017] |
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and 2022-2023 [2017-2018] school years, the agency shall operate |
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[establish] a pilot program as provided by this section to |
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implement in designated school districts the writing assessment |
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method developed under Subsection (a). |
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(b-1) The commissioner shall establish a committee to |
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assist the agency in planning, evaluating, and overseeing the pilot |
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program under this section. The committee shall provide guidance |
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on: |
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(1) the program's timeline and scoring rubric; |
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(2) professional development for teachers on the |
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writing assessment method developed under Subsection (a); and |
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(3) a feedback and reflection process between teachers |
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and students to evaluate the results of writing assessments |
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administered under the program. |
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(b-2) The commissioner shall appoint the following members |
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to the committee established under Subsection (b-1): |
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(1) at least three administrators employed by a school |
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district that participates in the program; |
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(2) at least three educators, other than |
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administrators, employed by a school district that participates in |
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the program; and |
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(3) representatives of regional education service |
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centers, public institutions of higher education, and the agency. |
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(d) A school district designated to participate in the pilot |
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program under this section is not required to comply with the |
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writing assessment requirements under Sections 39.023(a) and (c), |
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and may not administer to students enrolled in the district the |
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writing assessment instruments required under those provisions, |
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during the period the district is participating in the pilot |
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program. The agency shall, to the greatest extent practicable, |
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apply cost savings that result from the exemption under this |
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subsection to offset the costs accrued under this section. |
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(f) The individuals responsible for scoring student writing |
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assessments under the pilot program shall be coordinated [jointly] |
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by the agency with joint participation of: |
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(1) the school district in which the student is |
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enrolled and that is participating in the pilot program; |
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(2) a public junior college or institution of higher |
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education that enters into an agreement with the participating |
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school district; and |
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(3) the regional education service center that serves |
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the participating district. |
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(g) The agency shall develop methods to determine the |
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validity of the scoring process [A random sampling of scored
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student writing assessments, the size of which the agency shall
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determine, shall be delivered to the agency]. |
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(h) [Not later than September 1, 2016, the agency shall
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prepare and deliver to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the
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speaker of the house of representatives, and the presiding officer
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of each legislative standing committee with primary jurisdiction
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over primary and secondary education a report covering the study of
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the development of the writing assessment method under Subsection
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(a).] Not later than September 1, 2021, and September 1, 2023 [of
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each year in 2017 and 2018], the agency shall prepare and deliver to |
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the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and the presiding officer of each legislative |
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standing committee with primary jurisdiction over primary and |
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secondary education a report that: |
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(1) evaluates the implementation and progress of the |
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pilot program under this section; and |
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(2) makes recommendations regarding the continuation |
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or expansion of the pilot program. |
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(j) This section expires September 1, 2023 [2019]. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2019. |