H 4279 General Bill, By Walker and Townsend
Summary: Education Accountability Act
    A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-120, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY ACT DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO DEFINE CERTAIN ADDITIONAL TERMS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-310, RELATING TO THE ADOPTION OF A STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM, SO AS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TESTING FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL CREATE A STATEWIDE ADOPTION LIST OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS ALIGNED WITH THE STATE CONTENT STANDARDS AND SATISFYING PROFESSIONAL MEASUREMENT STANDARDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH CRITERIA JOINTLY DETERMINED BY THE EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, PROVIDE FOR A READING ASSESSMENT FOR FIRST AND SECOND GRADES, PROVIDE FOR OTHER ASSESSMENTS, AND PROVIDE FOR A TASK FORCE TO RECOMMEND COMPUTERIZED TESTING; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-320, RELATING TO FIELD TESTING OF THE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE REDUCTION OF THE NUMBER OF DAYS OF TESTING, PROVIDE FOR THE AVAILABILITY OF THE RESULT OF THE TESTS TO PARENTS AND TEACHERS WITHIN THREE WEEKS, FURTHER CHANGE THE TESTING TO INCLUDE SCIENCE TESTING, ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE TO RECOMMEND ALTERNATIVES TO MEETING GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-330, RELATING TO THE FIRST GRADE READINESS TEST, SO AS TO PROVIDE TEACHER TRAINING TO PROVIDE RELIABLE USE OF THE ASSESSMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-360, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE REVIEW OF STATE STANDARDS, SO AS TO INCREASE THE INFORMATION TO EDUCATORS AND PARENTS, PROVIDE WHAT THE REVIEW OF ASSESSMENTS MUST ADDRESS, AND PROVIDE FOR A TEAM OF CURRICULUM EXPERTS TO ANALYZE THE RESULTS OF THE ASSESSMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-370, RELATING TO THE DISSEMINATION OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS, SO AS TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN EACH CONTENT AREA; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-1595, RELATING TO THE REALLOCATION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING, SO AS TO CHANGE A REFERENCE FROM THE PALMETTO ACHIEVEMENT CHALLENGE TEST TO END-OF-YEAR ASSESSMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-28-200, RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS, SO AS TO CHANGE A REFERENCE FROM THE PALMETTO ACHIEVEMENT CHALLENGE TEST TO STATE ASSESSMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-30-10, RELATING TO DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION RELATING TO THE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM, SO AS TO DELETE CERTAIN DUTIES; TO AMEND SECTION 59-30-30, RELATING TO DUTIES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARDS, SO AS TO REVISE THE DUTIES; AND TO REPEAL SECTIONS 59-30-20 AND 59-30-50 BOTH RELATING TO THE BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.
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06/02/05	House	Introduced and read first time HJ-64
06/02/05	House	Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works HJ-65