Senate Bill 2030 Summary

• Authorizes the State Department of Education to phase out the Subject Area Testing Program (SATP2) and PARCC assessments starting in the 2017-2018 school year, replacing them with the American College Testing (ACT) assessment.

• Requires the State Board of Education to administer ACT college readiness tests to all eleventh-grade students beginning in 2017-2018 and precursor/diagnostic tests in grades K-8 and grades 8-10 starting in 2015-2016 to measure college and career readiness.

• Directs the State Superintendent of Education to immediately withdraw Mississippi from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) consortium upon the effective date of the act.

• Requires ACT assessment results to be included in school accountability reports at the high school level beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, with March 2017 scores included in the Class of 2018 report.

• Provides alternative assessments for students with severe developmental delays who meet specific criteria and have written parental requests, and ensures parents receive necessary information to make informed decisions about ACT participation.