Tackling Excessive Standardized Testing Act of 2014 or the TEST Act of 2014 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to alter the frequency with which students must take the tests used in determining whether they are making adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward state academic achievement standards in mathematics and reading or language arts. (Currently, students must take those tests in each of grades 3 through 8.) Authorizes a public school to administer the academic assessments in mathematics: (1) in each of grades 4, 6, and 8; or (2) in each of grades 4 and 8 if the school is at the 15th percentile or above for mathematics in the state or its students are making appropriate progress, as determined by the Secretary of Education, toward state mathematics achievement standards. Authorizes a public school to administer the academic assessments in reading or language arts: (1) in each of grades 3, 5, and 7; or (2) in each of grades 3 and 7 if the school is at the 15th percentile or above for reading or language arts or its students are making appropriate progress toward state reading or language arts achievement standards.
Excludes limited English proficient students who are in their first 12 months of enrollment in a public school from the determination as to whether students are making AYP toward state academic achievement standards.
Prohibits the Secretary from waiving the application of any of this Act's provisions.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5612 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5612
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to reduce
the testing requirements for part A of title I of such Act, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 18, 2014
Mr. Israel introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to reduce
the testing requirements for part A of title I of such Act, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Tackling Excessive Standardized
Testing Act of 2014'' or the ``TEST Act of 2014''.
SEC. 2. ESEA AMENDMENTS.
(a) Academic Assessments.--Section 1111(b)(3)(C) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(3)(C)) is
amended--
(1) in clause (v)(I), by striking ``clause vii'' and
inserting ``clause (vii) and as otherwise provided under clause
(xvi)'';
(2) in clause (vii), by inserting ``except as otherwise
provided under clause (xvi),'' before ``beginning'';
(3) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (xiv);
(4) by striking the period at the end of clause (xv); and
(5) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(xvi) beginning with the first full
school year after the date of enactment of the
TEST Act of 2014, in lieu of the requirements
of clause (vii)--
``(I) authorize any public
elementary school or public secondary
school to administer the academic
assessments in mathematics required
under clause (vii) in each of grades 4,
6, and 8;
``(II) authorize any public
elementary school or public secondary
school to administer the academic
assessments in reading or language arts
required under clause (vii) in each of
grades 3, 5, and 7;
``(III) authorize a public
elementary schools or public secondary
school at the 15th percentile or above
for mathematics in the State (based on
the achievement of students for the
preceding school year in each of grades
4, 6, and 8 on the academics
assessments in mathematics required
under clause (vii)), to, for the school
year following the administration of
such assessments, administer the
academic assessments in mathematics
required under clause (vii) in each of
grades 4 and 8;
``(IV) authorize a public
elementary school or public secondary
school at the 15th percentile or above
for reading or language arts in the
State (based on the achievement of
students for the preceding school year
in each of grades 3, 5, and 7 on the
academics assessments in reading or
language arts required under clause
(vii)), to, for the school year
following the administration of such
assessments, administer the academic
assessments in reading or language arts
required under clause (vii) in each of
grades 3 and 7;
``(V) authorize a public elementary
school or public secondary school whose
students do not meet the academic
achievement requirements of subclause
(III) of this clause, but which has
demonstrated such level of progress
with respect to the achievement of
students on academic assessments in
mathematics required under clause
(vii), as determined appropriate by the
Secretary to be authorized to
administer assessments in mathematics
in accordance with subclause (III) of
this clause, to administer such
assessments in mathematics in
accordance with such subclause (III);
and
``(VI) authorize a public
elementary school or public secondary
school whose students do not meet the
academic achievement requirements of
subclause (IV) of this clause, but
which has demonstrated such level of
progress with respect to the
achievement of students on academic
assessments in reading or language arts
required under clause (vii), as
determined appropriate by the Secretary
to be authorized to administer
assessments in reading or language arts
in accordance with subclause (IV) of
this clause, to administer such
assessments in reading or language arts
in accordance with such subclause
(IV).''.
(b) Limited English Proficient Students.--Section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6311(b)(2)(C)(v)) is amended in the matter following item (dd), by
inserting before the semicolon the following: ``and that the
achievement of a student with limited English proficiency shall not be
considered for purposes of such definition for the first 12 months that
the student is enrolled in a public elementary school or public
secondary school''.
(c) Application to Waivers.--Section 9401 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7861) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph
(9)(C);
(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph
(10) and inserting ``; or''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(11) the requirement under section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v) that
a student with limited English proficiency be excluded from the
definition of adequate yearly progress for the first 12 months
that the student is enrolled in a public elementary school or
public secondary school.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(h) Options for Certain Academic Assessments.--A waiver awarded
under this section shall not prohibit a State educational agency from
administering academic assessments in accordance with clause (xvi) of
section 1111(b)(3)(C) in lieu of the requirements of clause (vii) of
section 1111(b)(3)(C).''.
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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
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