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2014 SESSION

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HB 930 Standards of Learning; assessments, reform.

Introduced by: Thomas A. "Tag" Greason | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Standards of Learning assessments; reform. Provides that the number and type of Standards of Learning assessments shall not exceed 17 specified assessments in grades three through eight. The bill requires each local school board to certify that it has provided instruction and administered an alternative assessment, in conformance with Board guidelines, for each subject area in which the Standards of Learning assessment was not administered. The bill also requires the Secretary of Education to establish the Standards of Learning Innovation Committee to periodically review the Standards of Learning and assessments. This bill is identical to SB 306.

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Standards of Learning assessments; reform. Provides that the number and type of Standards of Learning assessments shall not exceed 17 specified assessments in grades three through eight. The bill requires each local school board to certify that it has provided instruction and administered an alternative assessment, in conformance with Board guidelines, for each subject area in which the Standards of Learning assessment was not administered. The bill also requires the Secretary of Education to establish the Standards of Learning Innovation Committee to periodically review the Standards of Learning and assessments.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Standards of Learning assessments; reform. Provides that (i) the number and type of Standards of Learning assessments shall meet the minimal requirements established by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, and (ii) beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, the Board of Education shall administer the following Standards of Learning assessments: (a) reading and mathematics in grades three and four; (b) reading, writing, mathematics, and science in grade five; (c) reading and mathematics in grade six; (d) reading, mathematics, and civics in grade seven; (e) reading, mathematics, and science in grade eight; and (f) algebra 1, algebra 2, biology, chemistry, reading, writing, United States history, world history 1, and world history 2 once each in grades nine through 12. The bill permits the Board to subsequently reduce the Standards of Learning assessments administered as long as the number and type of assessments meet the minimal requirements established by federal law. The bill also requires the Board of Education to establish Standards of Learning Revision Committees for each Standards of Learning subject area that will convene at least two years prior to any Board review of the Standard of Learning in the relevant subject area to perform several tasks, including (i) recommending changes to the Standard of Learning and (ii) developing and updating an assessment bank that includes formative and performance-based assessments that are aligned to the Standards of Learning and that are used at the local level by teachers for diagnostic purposes and planning instruction.