This bill amends the provisions related to the administration of academic achievement assessments for students in grade eleven in South Dakota. It specifies that each school district must administer an academic achievement assessment to all students in grade eleven, ensuring that the assessments measure academic progress and align with the state's content standards. The South Dakota Board of Education Standards is tasked with reviewing and approving a list of assessments for this grade level, which must accommodate various academic and career pathways. Additionally, students in grade eleven will select their assessment in consultation with a guidance counselor or administrator from the approved list provided by the Department of Education.

The bill also includes several key changes to existing law. It replaces the term "Every public school district" with "Each school district" and mandates that the Board of Education Standards shall promulgate rules for the administration of assessments, rather than may do so. Furthermore, it introduces a new requirement for students partially enrolled in a school district to take assessments if their enrollment averages at least fifty percent of the school term. Lastly, the bill repeals a previous provision that exempted students with less than fifty percent enrollment from taking academic achievement tests.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/29/2026: 13-3-55, 13-3-84