SB 1654 Summary

• Prohibits the State Board of Education from developing and administering criterion-referenced tests for grades three through eight in any subject not required by federal law, effective July 1, 2014.

• Maintains testing requirements only for federally-mandated subjects: reading and mathematics for grades 3-4 and 6-7; reading, mathematics, and science for grades 5 and 8.

• Removes testing requirements for social studies (grades 5 and 8) and writing assessments (grades 5 and 8) that were previously mandated.

• Eliminates the requirement for school districts to administer fine arts assessments in grades 3-8 and submit annual reports on fine arts assessment results.

• Preserves end-of-instruction tests for high school courses (English II, III, Algebra I, II, Geometry, Biology I, and U.S. History) as graduation requirements.