The bill amends the Code of West Virginia to enhance the statewide student growth assessment program by establishing a comprehensive framework for assessing student performance in reading and mathematics for grades three through eight. It mandates benchmark assessments to be conducted within the first 30 days of the school year, at mid-year, and a summative assessment at the end of the school year. The bill also removes obsolete language from existing law to streamline the assessment process and ensure clarity in requirements. Additionally, it outlines the responsibilities of the state board in developing and implementing these assessments, ensuring alignment with academic standards, and providing optional testing instruments for schools.

Furthermore, the bill allows the state board to intervene in the operation of a county school system under specific circumstances, such as failure to fulfill statutory obligations or previous interventions within the last five years. It mandates the development of electronic strategic improvement plans to address deficiencies identified through assessments and emphasizes building leadership capacity within county boards during interventions. The state superintendent will oversee this process, and if a county board is not ready for control to be returned after five years, public hearings will be held to address concerns. The bill also includes provisions for continued support for governance education for up to three years post-intervention and allows for re-intervention if necessary.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-2E-5
Committee Substitute: 18-2E-5
Engrossed Committee Substitute: 18-2E-5
Enrolled Committee Substitute: 18-2E-5