FL H0877

School districts may opt out of statewide standardized assessments and instead administer national, norm-referenced assessments in English Language Arts (grades 3-11), Mathematics (grades 3-8), and Science (elementary and middle school levels), with funding transferred from the state assessment program.

Commissioner of Education must maintain a list of pre-2009 national, norm-referenced assessments from which districts may choose and determine percentile rankings corresponding to five achievement levels.

Districts and instructional personnel are protected from negative impacts on school grades and personnel evaluations if they choose the alternative assessment program.

Students with severe cognitive impairments, certified medical complexity, or parental exemption request may opt out of assessments, with no negative impact on districts or school personnel evaluations.

Commissioner must determine percentile scores for national, norm-referenced assessments to correspond to five achievement levels; assessments may be administered in paper-based format if districts decline online administration.

Bill takes effect July 1, 2015, and amends statutes on student assessment programs (s. 1008.22) and school grading systems (s. 1008.34).