This bill mandates that the secretary of the South Dakota Department of Education apply to the United States Department of Education for permission to create and implement an innovative assessment system. The application must be made in accordance with federal law, specifically 20 U.S.C. 6364, by January 1, 2026.

Upon receiving approval for the application, the secretary is required to collaborate with school administrators, teachers, parents, and education experts to develop an assessment model that meets several criteria. These include compliance with the federal innovative assessment system requirements, alignment with state academic achievement assessments, accurate measurement of student growth in reading and mathematics, adherence to evidence-based literacy practices based on the science of reading, and reinforcement of foundational mathematics skills.