The bill, H.B. No. 221, aims to eliminate certain state-required assessment instruments and end-of-course assessments that are not mandated by federal law. Key amendments include limiting the number of subject areas for which school districts must provide supplemental instruction to two per school year, prioritizing mathematics and reading. Additionally, the bill modifies the assessment requirements by removing social studies from the list of subjects assessed in grade eight and specifying that end-of-course assessments will only be adopted for reading, mathematics, and science as necessary to comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act. The bill also introduces a provision that allows the State Board of Education to reduce the number or frequency of assessments if federal requirements change.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing provisions regarding college preparatory courses, allowing students who meet certain college readiness benchmarks to be exempt from specific end-of-course assessments. It also updates the criteria for distinction designations awarded to campuses based on academic achievement in reading, mathematics, or science. The bill will take effect in the 2025-2026 school year, with immediate effect possible if it receives a two-thirds vote from both houses of the legislature.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 39.023, Education Code 39.203 (Education Code 39)