The bill amends sections 3301.079 and 3301.0715 of the Revised Code to update the assessment requirements for students in grades kindergarten through three. It mandates that by July 1, 2026, the Department of Education and Workforce must adopt end-of-year nationally norm-referenced assessments for grades K-2 and beginning-of-year assessments for third grade, all aligned with academic standards in reading, writing, and mathematics. The assessments are intended to measure student comprehension and mastery of skills, with a focus on the science of reading. School districts will have the option to select assessments from a list approved by the department, and the bill ensures that these assessments are provided at no cost to the districts.

Additionally, the bill makes several key changes, including the removal of the previous requirement for diagnostic assessments to identify gifted students and the introduction of a new requirement for district boards to administer both beginning-of-year and end-of-year assessments. It specifies that the results of the kindergarten readiness assessment cannot be used to deny enrollment in kindergarten and mandates intervention services for students not making satisfactory progress. The bill also allows chartered nonpublic schools to administer the kindergarten readiness assessment and requires them to share data with relevant departments. Furthermore, it establishes a requirement for districts with low proficiency rates in third-grade English language arts to create a reading improvement plan, streamlining the assessment process and ensuring compliance with updated educational standards.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3301.079, 3301.0715