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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the limitation on administration and use of certain |
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assessment instruments in public schools. |
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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 September 1, 2021, 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, [writing,] mathematics, |
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[social studies,] and science. Except as provided by Subsection |
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(a-2), all students, other than students assessed under Subsection |
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(b) or (l) or exempted under Section 39.027, shall be assessed in: |
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(1) mathematics, annually in grades three through |
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eight; |
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(2) reading, annually in grades three through eight; |
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(3) [writing, including spelling and grammar, in |
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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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(4) [(6)] any other subject and grade required by |
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federal law. |
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SECTION 2. Section 39.023(a), Education Code, as effective |
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September 1, 2021, 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, mathematics, [social |
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studies,] and science. Except as provided by Subsection (a-2), all |
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students, other than students assessed under Subsection (b) or (l) |
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or exempted under Section 39.027, shall be assessed in: |
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(1) mathematics, annually in grades three through |
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eight; |
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(2) reading, annually in grades three through eight; |
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(3) [social studies, in grade eight; |
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[(4)] science, in grades five and eight; and |
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(4) [(5)] any other subject and grade required by |
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federal law. |
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SECTION 3. Section 39.023(c), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) The agency shall also adopt end-of-course assessment |
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instruments for secondary-level courses in Algebra I, biology, and |
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[English I,] English II[, and United States history]. The Algebra I |
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end-of-course assessment instrument must be administered with the |
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aid of technology, but may include one or more parts that prohibit |
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the use of technology. The [English I and] English II end-of-course |
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assessment instrument [instruments] must [each] assess essential |
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knowledge and skills in both reading and writing and must provide a |
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single score. A school district shall comply with State Board of |
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Education rules regarding administration of the assessment |
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instruments listed in this subsection. If a student is in a special |
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education program under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, the student's |
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admission, review, and dismissal committee shall determine whether |
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any allowable modification is necessary in administering to the |
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student an assessment instrument required under this subsection. |
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The State Board of Education shall administer the assessment |
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instruments. An end-of-course assessment instrument may be |
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administered in multiple parts over more than one day. The State |
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Board of Education shall adopt a schedule for the administration of |
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end-of-course assessment instruments that complies with the |
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requirements of Subsection (c-3). |
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SECTION 4. Section 39.025(a-1), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a-1) A student enrolled in a college preparatory |
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mathematics or English language arts course under Section 28.014 |
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who satisfies the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness |
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benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board under Section 51.334 on an assessment instrument designated |
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by the coordinating board under that section administered at the |
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end of the college preparatory mathematics or English language arts |
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course satisfies the requirements concerning and is exempt from the |
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administration of the Algebra I or the [English I and] English II |
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end-of-course assessment instrument [instruments], as applicable, |
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as prescribed by Section 39.023(c), even if the student did not |
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perform satisfactorily on a previous administration of the |
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applicable end-of-course assessment instrument. A student who |
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fails to perform satisfactorily on the assessment instrument |
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designated by the coordinating board under Section 51.334 |
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administered as provided by this subsection may retake that |
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assessment instrument for purposes of this subsection or may take |
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the appropriate end-of-course assessment instrument. |
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SECTION 5. Section 39.203(c), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) In addition to the distinction designations described |
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by Subsections (a) and (b), a campus that satisfies the criteria |
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developed under Section 39.204 shall be awarded a distinction |
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designation by the commissioner for outstanding performance in |
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academic achievement in English language arts, mathematics, or |
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science[, or social studies]. |
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SECTION 6. Section 39.0238, Education Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 7. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
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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, 2021. |