Senator BENNETT proposed the following amendment (419R069.SP.SMB):

Amend the bill, as and if amended, PART IX, Miscellaneous, by adding an appropriately numbered new SECTION to read:

/SECTION __. Section 59-18-900(D) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

(D) The comprehensive report card must include a comprehensive set of performance indicators with information on comparisons, trends, needs, and performance over time which is helpful to parents and the public in evaluating the school. In addition, the comprehensive report card must include indicators that meet federal law requirements. Special efforts are to be made to ensure that the information contained in the report card is provided in an easily understood manner and a reader-friendly format. This information should also provide a context for the performance of the school. Where appropriate, the data should yield disaggregated results to schools and districts in planning for improvement. The report card should include information in such areas as programs and curriculum, school leadership, community and parent support, faculty qualifications, evaluations of the school by parents, teachers, and students. In addition, the report card must contain other criteria including, but not limited to, information on promotion and retention ratios, disciplinary climate, dropout ratios, dropout reduction data, dropout retention data, access to technology, student and teacher ratios, and attendance data. Disciplinary climate data must be included in the information contained within the report card, but it cannot be used as an indicator used to measure a school's performance." /