Bill Text: TX HB743 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Engrossed
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the essential knowledge and skills of the required public school curriculum and to certain assessment instruments for public school students.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-19 - Effective immediately [HB743 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB743-Engrossed.html
Bill Title: Relating to the essential knowledge and skills of the required public school curriculum and to certain assessment instruments for public school students.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-19 - Effective immediately [HB743 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB743-Engrossed.html
84R20095 JSL-D | ||
By: Huberty, Isaac, et al. | H.B. No. 743 |
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relating to the essential knowledge and skills of the required | ||
public school curriculum and to certain state-adopted or | ||
state-developed assessment instruments for public school students. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 39.023, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsections (a-11), (a-12), (a-13), and (a-14) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(a-11) Before an assessment instrument adopted or developed | ||
under Subsection (a) may be administered under that subsection, the | ||
assessment instrument must, on the basis of empirical evidence, be | ||
determined to be valid and reliable by an entity that is independent | ||
of the agency and of any other entity that developed the assessment | ||
instrument. | ||
(a-12) The agency shall ensure that an assessment | ||
instrument adopted or developed under Subsection (a) is designed to | ||
primarily assess the essential knowledge and skills identified by | ||
the State Board of Education under Section 28.002 of the subject and | ||
for the grade level for which the assessment instrument is | ||
administered. Only to the extent necessary or helpful for | ||
diagnostic or reporting purposes, the assessment instrument may | ||
also assess supporting knowledge or skills that are introduced or | ||
referenced in the subject and for the grade level for which the | ||
assessment instrument is administered but that are identified as | ||
essential knowledge or skills primarily of a different subject or | ||
for a different grade level. | ||
(a-13) An assessment instrument adopted or developed under | ||
Subsection (a) must be designed so that: | ||
(1) if administered to students in grades three | ||
through five, 85 percent of students will be able to complete the | ||
assessment instrument within 120 minutes; and | ||
(2) if administered to students in grades six through | ||
eight, 85 percent of students will be able to complete the | ||
assessment instrument within 180 minutes. | ||
(a-14) The amount of time allowed for administration of an | ||
assessment instrument adopted or developed under Subsection (a) may | ||
not exceed eight hours, and the administration may occur on only one | ||
day. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 39.0236 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 39.0236. STUDY OF ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND | ||
ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. (a) The agency shall conduct a study | ||
regarding the essential knowledge and skills of the required | ||
curriculum identified by the State Board of Education under Section | ||
28.002 and assessment instruments administered under Section | ||
39.023. | ||
(b) The study must evaluate: | ||
(1) the number and scope of the essential knowledge | ||
and skills of each subject of the required curriculum under Section | ||
28.002, with each essential knowledge or skill identified as a | ||
readiness or supporting standard, and whether the number or scope | ||
should be limited; | ||
(2) the number and subjects of assessment instruments | ||
under Section 39.023 that are required to be administered to | ||
students in grades three through eight; and | ||
(3) how assessment instruments described by | ||
Subdivision (2) assess standards essential for student success and | ||
whether the assessment instruments should also assess supporting | ||
standards, including analysis of: | ||
(A) the portion of the essential knowledge and | ||
skills capable of being accurately assessed; | ||
(B) the appropriate skills that can be assessed | ||
within the testing parameters under current law; and | ||
(C) how current standards compare to those | ||
parameters. | ||
(c) Not later than March 1, 2016, the agency shall prepare | ||
and submit to the State Board of Education a report concerning the | ||
results of the study under Subsection (b). Not later than May 1, | ||
2016, the State Board of Education shall review the study and shall | ||
submit to the governor and each member of the legislature the | ||
agency's report and board recommendations regarding each issue | ||
evaluated under Subsection (b). | ||
(d) This section expires June 1, 2017. | ||
SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 39.0381 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 39.0381. AUDITING AND MONITORING PERFORMANCE UNDER | ||
CONTRACTS FOR ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. (a) The agency by rule shall | ||
develop a comprehensive methodology for auditing and monitoring | ||
performance under contracts for services to develop or administer | ||
assessment instruments required by Section 39.023 to verify | ||
compliance with contractual obligations. | ||
(b) The agency shall ensure that all new and renewed | ||
contracts described by Subsection (a) include a provision that the | ||
agency or a designee of the agency may conduct periodic contract | ||
compliance reviews, without advance notice, to monitor vendor | ||
performance. | ||
(c) The agency shall adopt rules to administer this section. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 39.053, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (c-3) to read as follows: | ||
(c-3) The indicator of student achievement under Subsection | ||
(c)(1) may not include student performance as to supporting | ||
knowledge or skills as described by Section 39.023(a-12). | ||
SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 | ||
school year. | ||
SECTION 6. 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, 2015. |