Bill > HB2422

This bill establishes a pilot program within the Tennessee Department of Education to explore whether reducing the number of district and state-mandated assessments leads to improved student academic success. Up to ten Local Education Agencies (LEAs), which are school districts, will be selected to participate if they meet specific criteria, including achieving an "advancing" or "exemplary" district designation, demonstrating a certain level of student proficiency in English language arts and mathematics, and maintaining a low chronic absenteeism rate. Participating LEAs will limit state-mandated assessments in English language arts and mathematics for students in kindergarten through eighth grade who score above the fortieth percentile on universal screeners in those subjects during the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 school years. The bill also outlines specific requirements for both state and district-level assessments that can be administered to these students, and requires LEAs to inform parents of students in kindergarten through third grade about their child's progress after universal reading screeners are administered. Additionally, the bill amends another section of Tennessee law to allow for a limited number of state-mandated assessments for third-grade students who demonstrate proficiency in English language arts based on their performance on a universal reading screener. The Department of Education will then review the results of this pilot program and report its findings to the General Assembly.