Amend the bill, as and if amended, Part IB, Section 1A, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - EIA, page 378, after line 15, by adding an appropriately numbered new proviso to read:
/ 1A.___. (SDE-EIA: Pilot Assessment) In the current fiscal year and from funds appropriated, there is created a pilot assessment. The Education Oversight Committee may select no more than five school districts to participate in the pilot. To be eligible to participate in the pilot, a school district must have received an absolute rating of Excellent on its most recent state report card and a letter grade of "A" on the most recent federal report card. The district must request and receive approval from the Education Oversight Committee and the State Board of Education to use an alternative assessment to current state assessments in grades 3 through 8 to measure student performance on English language arts, mathematics and science, and in high school the district may use alternative assessments to the High School Assessment program to measure college and career readiness, or any combination thereof. The alternative assessments must be aligned to college and career readiness standards as approved by the State Board of Education and the Education Oversight Committee. The district may use financial flexibility to absorb any additional costs of the alternative assessments with state, local or other funds. The district must still administer the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards in grades 3 through 8 in social studies and the state end-of-course assessment program as funded with EIA revenues. Unless otherwise provided for in law, students graduating in the current fiscal year must still pass all exit exam requirements. The Education Oversight Committee, working with school districts in the pilot, must devise an alternative state district and school report card. In addition the South Carolina Department of Education must request changes to its ESEA waiver to permit alternative and innovative approaches to assessment. /
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Renumber sections to conform.
Amend sections, totals and title to conform.
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Summary for Amendment: N:\S-Financ\AMEND\DG eiapilot.DOCX