paper tests for third and fourth graders

The text as introduced · 701 words

89R13488 AMF-D

By: Hull
H.B. No. 4383

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the paper administration of certain assessment

instruments and information related to assessment instrument

accommodations for students with disabilities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 39.02342, Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 39.02342. PAPER ADMINISTRATION OF ASSESSMENT

INSTRUMENTS [ ON REQUEST ]. (a) A school district shall administer

an assessment instrument required under Section 39.023(a) or (l) to

a student in the third or fourth grade in paper format.

(b) In addition to the required administration of certain

assessment instruments in paper format under Subsection (a) and

subject [ Subject ] to Subsection (c), a school district may

administer an assessment instrument required under Section

39.023(a), (c), or (l) in paper format to any student whose parent,

guardian, or teacher in the applicable subject area requests the

assessment instrument be administered to the student in paper

format.

[ (b) ] A request [ for the administration of an assessment

instrument in paper format to a student ] under this subsection

[ section ] must be submitted to the school district:

(1) for a fall administration of an assessment

instrument, not later than September 15 of the school year in which

the assessment instrument will be administered; and

(2) for a spring administration of an assessment

instrument, not later than December 1 of the school year in which

the assessment instrument will be administered.

(c) The board of trustees of a school district may limit the

[ The ] number of students enrolled at a school district who are

administered an assessment instrument in paper format for any

single administration under Subsection (b) to not less than [ this

section may not exceed ] three percent of the number of students

enrolled in the district. On receipt by a district that has imposed

a limitation under this subsection of more requests for

administration of an assessment instrument than the maximum number

permitted by the district under this subsection, the district shall

accept the requests in the order received until the maximum number

is reached. A [ The ] limitation adopted under [ described by ] this

subsection may [ does ] not apply to a student who is a student with a

disability as defined by Section 21.001 [ whose admission, review,

and dismissal committee determines that the administration of an

assessment instrument in paper format is a necessary modification

for the student ].

SECTION 2. The heading to Section 39.027, Education Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 39.027. EXEMPTION ; INFORMATION RELATED TO ASSESSMENT

ACCOMMODATIONS .

SECTION 3. Section 39.027, Education Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b-1) The agency shall develop a form that provides

information regarding accommodations applicable to the assessment

instruments administered under Section 39.023 that are available to

a student with a disability, as defined by Section 21.001,

including the administration of the assessment instrument in paper

format under Section 39.02342. Each school district shall provide

the form developed under this subsection to parents or persons

standing in parental relation to students with a disability.

SECTION 4. (a) Each board of trustees of a school district

and each governing body of an open-enrollment charter school shall

take a record vote not later than six months after the effective

date of this Act on whether to impose a limitation under Section

39.02342(c), Education Code, as amended by this Act, on the number

of students who are administered an assessment instrument in paper

format under Section 39.02342(b), Education Code, as amended by

this Act.

(b) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this

Act, the Texas Education Agency shall develop the form required by

Section 39.027(b-1), Education Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026

school year.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.