Mississippi House Bill HB119

Mississippi 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/4/22
• Refer: 1/4/22
• Failed: 2/1/22

Caption

End-of-course subject area tests; discontinue and require minimum score on the ACT for graduation.

Impact

The implementation of HB119 is set to take effect from the 2022-2023 school year. This change impacts several existing regulations within the Mississippi Code, specifically amending various sections that outline graduation requirements. By emphasizing the ACT, the bill may streamline assessments for students, potentially reducing stress associated with multiple end-of-course tests, and thus encouraging students to better focus on gaining knowledge rather than test preparedness.

Summary

House Bill 119 aims to reform high school testing in Mississippi by discontinuing the requirement for end-of-course subject area testing. Instead, it mandates that all high school students take the ACT test, although the results from this test will not be a condition for graduation. The bill targets a shift towards a standardized national assessment (ACT) while eliminating tests that may not reflect students' overall academic abilities effectively. The proposal thus responds to concerns that excessive standardized testing can detract from actual learning.

Contention

The alteration of graduation criteria raised potential contentions among educational stakeholders. Proponents argue that the discontinuation of end-of-course testing aligns better with students' educational experiences, whereas opponents, including some educators and parents, may argue that removing these assessments could undermine accountability in measuring student learning outcomes. They advocate that standardized testing serves as a necessary tool for evaluating both student performance and school effectiveness.