TX SB1962

Transitions Texas to a new "instructionally supportive assessment system" by 2027-2028, requiring shorter end-of-year tests scheduled closer to year's end, with optional beginning-of-year and middle-of-year progress monitoring assessments for grades 3-8 in reading and math

Limits school districts and campuses to administering no more than two benchmark assessment instruments per subject before the state's end-of-year test, with penalties including mandatory technical assistance for violations

Requires at least 25% of assessment instrument points to come from non-multiple-choice questions, with reading/language arts tests including open-ended questions scored with classroom teacher involvement

Expands military readiness indicators for accountability to include students who pass the ASVAB and complete JROTC, and requires the agency to study and update college/career/military readiness indicators based on correlation with postsecondary success

Prohibits school districts from using any federal, state, or local funding to sue the state or state agencies, including ultra vires claims, and authorizes the commissioner to appoint a conservator or board of managers to districts that initiate such litigation

Establishes that performance standards for accountability indicators will only increase every fifth year beginning with 2027-2028, with a 15-year goal for Texas to rank in the top five states nationally in student preparation and eliminate achievement gaps