The bill amends sections 3301.079 and 3301.0715 of the Revised Code to update the diagnostic assessments for students in grades kindergarten through two to end-of-year nationally norm-referenced assessments, while introducing beginning-of-year assessments for third grade. By July 1, 2026, the Department of Education and Workforce is required to adopt assessments aligned with academic standards in reading, writing, and mathematics, specifically designed to measure student comprehension and mastery of relevant skills in accordance with the science of reading. School districts will have the option to select assessments from a list approved by the department for grades kindergarten through two.

Additionally, the bill removes the previous requirement for diagnostic assessments to identify gifted students and ensures that these assessments are provided to school districts at no cost. It mandates that the Department of Education develop the assessments independently, rather than as part of a multistate consortium. The bill also modifies the administration of assessments by eliminating the annual requirement for "diagnostic" assessments for all students, instead requiring a beginning-of-year assessment in the fall and an end-of-year assessment in the spring, with provisions for chartered nonpublic schools to administer the kindergarten readiness assessment and share data with relevant departments. Furthermore, it mandates intervention services for students not making satisfactory progress based on their assessments and repeals existing sections of the Revised Code related to these assessments to streamline the process.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3301.079, 3301.0715