85R3495 GCB-F
	By: VanDeaver	H.B. No. 515

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to eliminating certain state-required assessment
	instruments and certain end-of-course assessment instruments not
	required by federal law.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  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, [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;
	and
	(3)  [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(c), Education Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(c)  The agency shall also adopt end-of-course assessment
	instruments for secondary-level courses in reading, mathematics,
	and science only as necessary to comply with the Every Student
	Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.) to be administered
	only as necessary to meet the minimum requirements of that Act
	[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 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 adopted under [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).]
	SECTION 3.  Section 39.023(c-3), Education Code, as
	effective September 1, 2017, is amended to read as follows:
	(c-3)  The State Board of Education, with input from school
	districts, shall adopt [In adopting] a schedule for the
	administration of assessment instruments under this section that
	minimizes the disruption of classroom instruction [, the State
	Board of Education shall require:
	[(1)     assessment instruments administered under
	Subsection (a) to be administered on a schedule so that the first
	assessment instrument is administered at least two weeks later than
	the date on which the first assessment instrument was administered
	under Subsection (a) during the 2006-2007 school year; and
	[(2)     the spring administration of end-of-course
	assessment instruments under Subsection (c) to occur in each school
	district not earlier than the first full week in May, except that
	the spring administration of the end-of-course assessment
	instruments in English I and English II must be permitted to occur
	at an earlier date].
	SECTION 4.  Section 39.023, Education Code, is amended by
	adding Subsection (q) to read as follows:
	(q)  Notwithstanding any provision of this section or other
	law, if changes made to the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C.
	Section 6301 et seq.) reduce the number or frequency of assessment
	instruments required to be administered to students, the State
	Board of Education shall adopt rules reducing the number or
	frequency of assessment instruments administered to students under
	state law, and the commissioner shall ensure that students are not
	assessed in subject areas or in grades that are no longer required
	to meet the minimum requirements of that Act.
	SECTION 5.  Section 39.203(c), Education Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(c)  In addition to the distinction designations described
	by Subsections (a) and (b), a campus that satisfies the criteria
	developed under Section 39.204 shall be awarded a distinction
	designation by the commissioner for outstanding performance in
	academic achievement in reading [English language arts],
	mathematics, or science[, or social studies].
	SECTION 6.  Section 39.02301, Education Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 7.  This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018
	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, 2017.