HB 1177 - Education Accountability Summary

• Online Assessment Requirements: Full implementation of ELA and Mathematics online assessments requires technology infrastructure, connectivity, and capacity to be load tested, independently verified, and certified as ready by district superintendents; provides nonelectronic alternatives when districts are not ready.

• Testing Reduction and Assessment Flexibility: Requires state and local student assessment programs to use the minimum amount of testing necessary; prohibits using ELA and Mathematics assessments for promotion/retention purposes; eliminates grade 11 ELA assessment since grade 10 is the graduation requirement.

• School Grades Transition: Holds school grades and improvement ratings in abeyance for 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years during transition to new accountability system; new system to be fully implemented in 2016-2017 school year.

• College Readiness Testing: Allows PSAT, SAT, and ACT to be accepted in lieu of common placement test for college readiness assessment; changes requirement to authorization for high schools to evaluate student college readiness.

• Teacher Evaluation Modifications: Increases minimum student performance component in teacher evaluations from 30 percent to at least 50 percent; allows school districts flexibility in measuring student learning growth for subjects without statewide assessments.