SB 798
Modifies provisions relating to elementary and secondary education standards and assessments
Sponsor:
LR Number:
5475S.07C
Committee:
Last Action:
5/16/2014 - S Formal Calendar S Bills for Perfection--SBs 798 & 514-Emery, with SCS
Journal Page:
Title:
SCS SBs 798 & 514
Calendar Position:
7
Effective Date:
Emergency Clause

Current Bill Summary

SCS/SBs 798 & 514 - This act modifies provisions relating to elementary and secondary education standards.

SECTION 160.514: This act requires the State Board of Education to convene work groups composed of education professionals whenever it develops, evaluates, modifies, or revises either academic performance standards or learning standards. This act creates a new selection process for teachers who serve on work groups to develop and recommend academic performance standards. Work groups will consist of ten members. This act removes the requirement that the majority of work group members be active classroom teachers. For each subject area, the State Board must convene two separate work groups, one for grades kindergarten through five and another for grades six through twelve. The following organizations and persons will each select one member for each work group: professional teacher organizations, a statewide association of Missouri school boards, a statewide association of charter schools, a statewide association of school administrators, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Commissioner of Higher Education and the heads of state-approved baccalaureate-level teacher preparation programs located in Missouri. The professional teacher organizations and the heads of the state-approved baccalaureate-level teacher preparation programs will collectively select one member to serve on each work group. Teachers do not need to be members of a professional teacher organization to serve on a work group. Each work group member must be a Missouri resident for three years and have either taught in the work group's subject area for ten years or have ten years of experience in that subject area. A person may serve on more than one work group.

The State Board must hold at least three public hearings whenever it develops, evaluates, modifies, or revises either academic performance standards or learning standards, as described in the act. The State Board must also solicit feedback and comments from the Joint Committee on Education and academic researchers. All comments must be made publicly available.

Local school districts and charter schools may adopt their own education standards, in addition to those already adopted by the state, provided any additional standards are in the public domain.

SECTION 160.518: This act adds a requirement that the State Board of Education modify and revise, as necessary, the statewide assessment system based on the standards adopted by it.

The State Board of Education cannot adopt or develop a criterion-referenced assessment instrument based on the Common Core State Standards after it adopts new academic performance standards to replace the Common Core State Standards. The academic performance of students cannot be transferred out of state in any form for reporting to non-state education entities.

The special education teachers serving on the advisory panel to develop developmentally appropriate alternate assessments must residents of Missouri.

This act repeals two provisions that terminated in 2006.

SECTION 160.526: When the State Board establishes, evaluates, modifies, or revises academic performance standards, learning standards, and the statewide assessment system, it must consider the work done by other states, experts, associations, and the work product of the Department of Higher Education's Curriculum Alignment Initiative. This act prohibits the State Board of Education from adopting the work done by consortia of other states when establishing academic standards and the statewide assessment system.

The Commissioner of Education must notify the General Assembly within six months of modifying or revising the statewide assessment system, as described in the act. The General Assembly may veto any modification or revision by concurrent resolution, as described in the act.

By December 31, 2014, the Commissioner of Education must revise a procedure to allow the State Board to regularly receive advice and counsel from certain groups whenever it develops, evaluates, modifies or revises academic performance standards, learning standards, or the statewide assessment system.

This act repeals obsolete references to the Commission on Performance that was previously repealed.

SECTION 160.820: This act repeals authorization for the Department of Economic Development, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and Department of Higher Education to directly enter into agreements with the P-20 Council. Instead, the departments will be bound by statutory requirements for state purchasing and contracting.

SECTION 161.092: The State Board of Education's authority to classify the public schools of the state and to formulate rules governing school accreditation must allow individual school districts that are accredited without provision to determine targeted priorities for the district, plan of action, resource needs for implementing the plan, and evaluation criteria.

SECTION 161.855: By October 1, 2014, the State Board of Education must convene work groups of education professionals to develop and recommend new academic performance standards in place of the Common Core State Standards. The State Board of Education must convene separate work groups for the following subject areas: English language arts; mathematics; science; and history and governments. For each subject area, the State Board must convene two work groups, one for grades kindergarten through five and one for grades six through twelve.

The work groups must develop and recommend new academic performance standards in place of the Common Core State Standards by October 1, 2015. The work groups must report on their progress to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on a monthly basis.

The State Board of Education must adopt and implement new academic performance standards in place of the Common Core State Standards beginning in the 2016-2017 school year. The State Board must align the statewide assessment system to the new standards as needed within three years of adopting new academic performance standards.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must pilot assessments from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium during the 2014-2015 school year for each school district and charter school. For the 2014-2015 school year, the results of the statewide pilot will not be used for high stakes accountability or teacher evaluations or to lower any school district's accreditation.

This act contains an emergency clause.

This act is similar to the perfected version of HB 1490 (2014).

MICHAEL RUFF

Amendments