Title: Student Testing Improvement and Accountability Act
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Student Testing Improvement and Accountability Act
This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to reduce the required frequency of student achievement tests in mathematics and reading or language arts. Currently, students must be tested in those areas against state academic content and achievement standards in each of grades three through eight. This bill instead requires that those tests be administered at least once during: (1) grades 3 through 5, (2) grades 6 through 8, and (3) grades 9 through 12.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1762 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1762

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to clarify 
        when certain academic assessments shall be administered.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 5, 2017

  Mr. Tester introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to clarify 
        when certain academic assessments shall be administered.

    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 ``Student Testing Improvement and 
Accountability Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
        supports programs to level the playing field for the most 
        vulnerable, including children of poverty, students with 
        disabilities, and English language learners.
            (2) Prior to 2001, Federal law required States only to test 
        students once per grade span. Current Federal law requires 
        students to undergo standardized testing every year in grades 3 
        through 8.
            (3) Reducing the frequency of federally required testing 
        will allow more time for student learning and inspire their 
        natural curiosity and creativity.
            (4) Students will have more time to receive one-on-one 
        instruction and develop critical thinking and problem-solving 
        skills through a well-rounded education and curriculum.
            (5) Moving away from the practice of annually ``teaching to 
        the test'' will empower educators to provide instruction in a 
        way that best inspires and prepares our Nation's next 
        generation of leaders.
            (6) With grade span testing, our educators will be more 
        able to focus on those students who are most in need but who 
        also lose the most class time preparing for annual tests.
            (7) Grade span testing will allow States the flexibility to 
        develop more meaningful, tailored assessment systems that 
        provide valid, reliable data.
            (8) The yearly testing currently required by Federal law 
        should be replaced with grade span testing.

SEC. 3. ACADEMIC ASSESSMENTS.

    Section 1111(b)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B)(v), by striking subclause (I) and 
        inserting the following:
                                    ``(I) in the case of mathematics 
                                and reading or language arts, be 
                                administered not less than one time 
                                during--
                                            ``(aa) grades 3 through 5;
                                            ``(bb) grades 6 through 8; 
                                        and
                                            ``(cc) grades 9 though 
                                        12;'';
            (2) in subparagraph (C)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), and in 
                clause (ii), by striking ``subparagraph (B)(v)(I)(aa)'' 
                and inserting ``subparagraph (B)(v)(I)(bb)''; and
                    (B) in clauses (i) and (iii), by striking 
                ``subparagraph (B)(v)(I)(bb)'' and inserting 
                ``subparagraph (B)(v)(I)(cc)''; and
            (3) in subparagraph (H), in clauses (i) and (vi), by 
        striking ``subclause (I)(bb) and'' and inserting ``subclause 
        (I)(cc) or''.
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