Bill Text: DE SJR2 | 2015-2016 | 148th General Assembly | Engrossed
Bill Title: Directing The Department Of Education To Study Student Assessment Testing.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2015-07-15 - Signed by Governor [SJR2 Detail]
Download: Delaware-2015-SJR2-Engrossed.html
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SPONSOR: |
Sen. Sokola & Rep. Jaques |
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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 2 AS AMENDED BY SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 1 |
DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO STUDY STUDENT ASSESSMENT TESTING.
WHEREAS, the amount of federal, state, and locally required testing of our students has grown substantially in recent years; and
WHEREAS, parents across the state have expressed concern over the amount of time that their children, particularly those in high school, are spending on testing; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly is committed to maximizing the time available for our educators to teach and for our students to learn; and
WHEREAS, while it is essential that parents, teachers, administrators, and state officials have valid and reliable data about whether our students are making progress academically so resources and support can be directed to students who need them, any assessments that are redundant, unnecessary, or ineffective should be eliminated; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Education is currently coordinating and providing financial support for a statewide inventory of all state, district, and local assessments; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Education intends that the assessment inventory will give school, district, and state officials the information necessary to reduce the testing burden on Delaware students; and
WHEREAS, while all decisions to eliminate and consolidate school and district assessments will be made at the local level, and all decisions to eliminate and consolidate state level assessments shall be made at the state level, Delaware's school districts and the Department of Education would benefit from the input of the public, and members of the General Assembly, in determining which assessments to eliminate.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 148th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, with the approval of the Governor, that:
(1) The Department of Education shall ensure that each Delaware school district receives financial and technical support to conduct an inventory of all assessments mandated at the school or district level. The inventory shall not include those assessments that individual educators administer for their students alone, and shall not include extracurricular activities that have an assessment component (i.e. spelling bees, Odyssey of the Mind, etc.).
(2) Each participating school district will report the results of its inventory, including a list of mandatory assessments and any that the district proposes or decides to eliminate, to the Department of Education by December 31, 2015.
(3) The Department of Education shall conduct an inventory of all of those assessments required by the state, and shall identify any assessments that the Department proposes to eliminate.
(4) The Department of Education shall publish the results of the assessment inventories online by January 31, 2016, and provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed or actual elimination of assessments at the district and state level.
(5) The Department of Education shall present the results of the assessment inventories to the House and Senate Education Committees of the 148th General Assembly by January 31, 2016. The Department shall also convene the following individuals to review and analyze the assessment inventory results and report detailed recommendations about those assessments that could be consolidated or eliminated to the State Board, the Governor, and the House and Senate Education Committees:
a. Three members of the House Education Committee, consisting of 2 members of the majority party and 1 member of the minority party, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
b. Three members of the Senate Education Committee, consisting of 2 members of majority party and 1 member of the minority party, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
c. The president of the Delaware State Education Association, or her designee.
d. The president of the Chief School Officer's Association, or his designee.
e. A representative of the civil rights' community, appointed by the Governor.
f. A parent, appointed by the Governor.
(6) The final assessment inventory, including the identification of those assessments that the Department and the school districts have chosen to consolidate or eliminate, shall be announced by June 30, 2016.
