HLS 11RS-958 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2011
HOUSE BILL NO. 406
BY REPRESENTATIVE NORTON
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
STUDENT/ASSESSMENT: Provides relative to requirements for the assessment of
students
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 17:24.12, relative to student assessment; to require the State Board of2
Elementary and Secondary Education to develop and adopt a policy for the3
administration of certain criterion-referenced assessment instruments; to specify4
grade levels and subjects for such assessments; to provide relative to passing scores5
required on such assessments; to authorize local public schools to use the6
instruments to assess additional students; to provide for an effective date; and to7
provide for related matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. R.S. 17:24.12 is hereby enacted read as follows: 10
ยง24.12. Student assessment; policy; grade levels; subjects11
A. Notwithstanding any provision of law, or any rule, regulation, or policy12
to the contrary, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall13
develop and adopt a policy for the administration of appropriate criterion-referenced14
assessment instruments designed to assess essential knowledge and skills in reading,15
writing, mathematics, social studies, and science. Such policy shall require that16
students be assessed as follows:17
(1) Mathematics, in grades three and five without the aid of technology and18
in grade eight with the aid of technology on any assessment instrument that includes19
algebra.20 HLS 11RS-958 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 406
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(2) Reading, in grades three, five, and eight.1
(3) Writing, including spelling and grammar, in grades five and eight.2
(4) Social studies, in grade eight.3
(5) Science, in grades five and eight.4
B.(1) Any student who scores below a score of the passing standard plus one5
hundred scale score points on the last mathematics assessment taken by that student6
in grade three, and who is promoted to grade four, shall be assessed in mathematics7
in grade four.8
(2) Any student who scores below a score of the passing standard plus one9
hundred scale score points on the last reading assessment taken by that student in10
grade three, and who is promoted to grade four, shall be assessed in reading in grade11
four.12
(3) Any student who scores below a score of the passing standard plus one13
hundred scale score points on the last assessment taken by that student in a subject14
or subjects in grade five, and who is promoted to grade six, shall be assessed in that15
subject or subjects in grade six.16
(4) Any student who scores below a score of the passing standard plus one17
hundred scale score points on the last assessment taken by that student in a subject18
or subjects in grade six, and who is promoted to grade seven, shall be assessed in that19
subject or subjects in grade seven.20
(5) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall determine21
the score required for passage of each assessment required pursuant to this Section.22
C. A city, parish, or other local public school may administer the assessment23
instruments developed as required in Subsection A of this Section to additional24
students other than those required to be assessed pursuant to Subsection A of this25
Section. Upon request by the school, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary26
Education shall provide the assessment instruments to the school for use by the27
school in assessing such additional students and shall provide any services normally28
provided by the state board or the state Department of Education related to29 HLS 11RS-958 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 406
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administering and scoring the assessments for required students, in the same manner1
and at the same cost as for required students. The results of such discretionary2
testing shall not be used as an indicator of student achievement for any purpose other3
than that as determined by the school.4
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not5
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature6
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If7
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become8
effective on the day following such approval.9
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Norton HB No. 406
Abstract: Requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop and
adopt a policy for the administration of certain criterion-referenced assessment
instruments for students at specified grade levels and in specified subjects.
Proposed law requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to
develop and adopt a policy for the administration of appropriate criterion-referenced
assessment instruments as follows:
(1)Mathematics, in grades three and five without the aid of technology and in grade
eight with the aid of technology on any assessment instrument that includes algebra.
(2)Reading, in grades three, five, and eight.
(3)Writing, including spelling and grammar, in grades five and eight.
(4)Social studies, in grade eight.
(5)Science, in grades five and eight.
Provides for certain student assessments at grade levels other than those specified in
proposed law (above) based on student scores on previous assessments.
Provides that BESE shall determine the score required for passage of each assessment
required pursuant to proposed law.
Authorizes local public schools to administer the assessment instruments developed as
required in proposed law to additional students other than those required to be assessed
pursuant to proposed law and requires BESE, upon request by the school, to provide
assessment instruments to the school for such purpose. Further requires BESE to provide
any services normally provided by it or the state Dept. of Education related to administering
and scoring the assessment for required students, in the same manner and at the same cost HLS 11RS-958 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 406
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as for required students. Provides that the results of such discretionary testing shall not be
used as an indicator of student achievement for any purpose other than that as determined
by the school.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:24.12)