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Current Status Bill Number:View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.3530 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:20010213 Primary Sponsor:Moody-Lawrence All Sponsors:Moody-Lawrence, R. Brown, Breeland, J. Brown, Lloyd, Govan, Whipper, Lee, Allen, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Jennings, Kennedy, Lourie, Mack, J.H. Neal, Parks, Rutherford, Scott, Simrill, F.N. Smith and Weeks Drafted Document Number:l:\council\bills\gjk\20172sd01.doc Residing Body:House Current Committee:Education and Public Works Committee 21 HEPW Subject:Test performance not to be sole determinant in deciding student promotion, retention, etc.; Education, School Districts History Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ ______________________________________ _______ ____________ ------ 20010215 Scrivener's error corrected House 20010213 Introduced, read first time, 21 HEPW referred to Committee Versions of This Bill Revised on February 15, 2001 - Word format
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-18-510 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT UNDER THE EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY ACT TEST PERFORMANCE SHALL NOT BE THE SOLE DETERMINANT IN DECISIONS REGARDING PROMOTION, RETENTION, OR GROUPING OF STUDENTS OR THE PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOLS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH STANDARDIZED TESTS MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR THESE DECISION-MAKING PURPOSES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-18-510. (A) If performance on a standardized test is considered as part of any decision about the promotion, retention, graduation, tracking, or within-class ability grouping of an individual student under the Education Accountability Act, such test performance shall not be the sole determinant in the decision, must be used as one of multiple measures of student achievement, and the test may not have determinative weight in the decision-making process.
(B) If performance on a standardized test is considered as part of any decision about the overall performance of a school under the Education Accountability Act, such test performance shall not be the sole determinant in the decision, must be used as one of multiple measures of school performance, and the test may not have determinative weight in the decision-making process.
(C) Standardized tests may be considered in making the decisions referenced in subsection (A) and (B) above only if:
(1) the test meets professional standards of validity and reliability for the purpose for which the test's results are being used including the validity and reliability of any core or performance standard set or established for use on the test;
(2) the test allows its users to make score interpretations in relation to a functional performance level, as distinguished from those interpretations that are made in relation to the performance of others, is based on state or local content and performance standards, and is aligned with the curriculum and classroom instruction;
(3) multiple measures of student achievement are utilized including grades and evaluations by teachers, so that scores from large-scale assessments are not the only source of information used nor assigned determinative weight in making a decision about an individual student or school;
(4) students tested have been provided multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency in the subject matter covered by the test."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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