DE HB55

Requires the Delaware Department of Education to request a one-year delay in its ESEA Waiver Renewal Application before incorporating student growth scores from the Smarter Balanced Assessment into teacher and principal evaluations for personnel decisions.

Delays the use of Smarter Balanced Assessment results in high-stakes employment decisions until the 2016-2017 school year at the earliest.

Addresses concerns that Smarter Balanced Assessment has not been statistically validated, teachers lack adequate professional development, and students have had insufficient exposure to the new test before results are used for evaluative purposes.

Amends Section 365 of Chapter 290, Volume 79 of the Delaware Laws to add the waiver delay requirement while maintaining the Department's authority to implement other ESEA Flexibility Request provisions.