Prohibits administration of Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers assessments and provides for continuation of La. Educational Assessment Program tests and the standards on which such tests are based (OR SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)
Impact
The bill will significantly impact Louisiana's educational landscape by repealing sections of the existing law that mandate certain federally recognized assessment standards. By eliminating the requirement for current standards to align with national content standards, the bill aims to allow the state to develop its own benchmarks for student performance. This shift could lead to more localized educational policies that reflect the state's priorities and objectives in student assessments, potentially offering greater autonomy to the Louisiana Department of Education in determining academic rigor.
Summary
House Bill 558 aims to prohibit the administration of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments and any similar assessments in Louisiana. Instead, it provides for the continued administration of the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) tests and focuses on maintaining rigorous standards that are aligned with national student achievement levels. The bill seeks to amend the existing laws governing educational assessments and standards, emphasizing the state's control over educational accountability measures and student testing protocols.
Sentiment
Discussions surrounding HB 558 reveal a mixture of support and opposition among lawmakers and educators. Proponents of the bill argue that relying on LEAP and discarding PARCC assessments empowers Louisiana’s educational system to tailor assessments that best reflect state needs. Critics, however, fear that this could compromise educational quality, suggesting that moving away from nationally recognized standards may reduce accountability and lead to disparities in education quality across the state. This polarized sentiment underscores broader debates about educational standards and local versus national governance in education.
Contention
A key point of contention surrounding HB 558 is the potential reduction in educational accountability that could arise from dismissing national assessments. Opponents of the bill warn that without the uniform guidelines provided by assessments like PARCC, disparities among school performance and student outcomes could widen, especially if LEAP assessments fail to maintain comparability with national benchmarks. Moreover, there are concerns about whether the state is fully equipped to develop and implement rigorous assessments that align with the needs of a diverse student population.
Prohibits administration of Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers assessments and provides for continuation of La. Educational Assessment Program tests and the standards on which such tests are based (OR SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)
Prohibits implementation of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments and provides for continuation of La. Educational Assessment Program tests (OR SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)
Prohibits the administration of assessments that contain a question proposed or developed by the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers consortium or any other federally funded consortium of states
Provides relative to the development, review, and adoption of state content standards and related assessments for public school students (OR INCREASE GF EX See Note)
Provides for implementation of state content standards and assessments subject to legislative approval and permits local school systems to develop and implement content standards in lieu of state standards
Provides for implementation of state content standards and assessments subject to legislative approval and permits local school systems to develop and implement content standards in lieu of state standards