Existing law authorizes the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school to provide a program of distance education. (NRS 388.820-388.874) Existing law requires the State Board of Education to prescribe: (1) criterion-referenced examinations to measure the achievement of pupils who are enrolled in grades 3 to 12, inclusive; and (2) certain requirements governing the administration of the examinations. (NRS 390.105) Existing law also requires the State Board to select a college and career readiness assessment to be administered to pupils who are enrolled in grade 11. (NRS 390.610) Section 1 of this bill: (1) authorizes the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school that provides a program of distance education to administer the criterion-referenced examinations and the college and career readiness assessment through a remote testing platform to pupils enrolled in the program; and (2) prescribes certain requirements for the administration of an examination or assessment through such a platform. Section 4 of this bill requires examinations administered pursuant to section 1 to conform with uniform procedures adopted by the State Board. Section 2 of this bill applies the definitions in existing law governing distance education to the provisions of section 1. Section 3 of this bill authorizes the State Board to adopt regulations to carry out section 1. Existing law requires the Department of Education to adopt and enforce a plan governing the security of criterion-referenced examinations and the college and career readiness assessment. (NRS 390.270) Existing law additionally requires the board of trustees of each school district to adopt and enforce a plan governing the security of examinations and assessments at each school within the district. (NRS 390.275) Sections 5 and 6 of this bill require the plans adopted and enforced by the Department and board of trustees of the school district, respectively, to include procedures to ensure the security of such examinations and assessments administered to pupils through a remote testing platform. Existing law requires the Department to take certain actions if the Department determines that an irregularity in testing administration occurred during certain school years. (NRS 390.290) Section 7 of this bill applies these provisions to an irregularity in testing administration that occurs in a program of distance education.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 388.820, 388.874, 390.105, 390.270, 390.275, 390.290
BDR: 388.820, 388.874, 390.105, 390.270, 390.275, 390.290