S.F. 240 Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph b, 1 subparagraphs (2) and (3), Code 2017, are amended by striking 2 the subparagraphs. 3 Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT 4 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. 5 1. The department of education shall issue a request 6 for proposals for the selection of a statewide assessment 7 of student progress to be administered in the school year 8 beginning July 1, 2018, and each succeeding school year. 9 The assessment shall measure individual student growth and 10 be aligned to the Iowa core academic standards for grades 11 three through eight and at least one high school grade. The 12 assessment shall be capable of measuring student performance 13 in English language arts, including reading and writing; 14 mathematics; and science. The assessment shall be available in 15 both paper-and-pencil and computer-based formats. Proposals 16 incapable of assessing performance in English language arts, 17 including reading and writing, mathematics, and science 18 shall not be considered. Potential vendors or providers may 19 collaborate to meet the requirements of this subsection. 20 2. In evaluating the proposals, the department shall 21 only consider the feasibility of implementation by school 22 districts; the costs to school districts and the state in 23 providing and administering the statewide assessment and 24 the technical support necessary to administer the statewide 25 assessment; the costs of acquiring the infrastructure necessary 26 for implementing technology readiness in all of Iowa’s school 27 districts, including technology required for accommodations; 28 the degree to which the submission is aligned with the Iowa 29 core academic standards; the ability of the assessment to 30 measure student growth and student proficiency; the ability of 31 the assessment to meet the requirements of the federal Every 32 Student Succeeds Act, Pub. L. No. 114-95; and the instructional 33 time required to conduct the statewide assessment. 34 3. The department of education shall issue the request for 35 -1- LSB 1479SV (3) 87 kh/rj 1/ 3

S.F. 240 proposals by April 30, 2017, and shall select the assessment 1 that best meets the criteria established under this section in 2 time for the assessment to be administered as provided in this 3 section. The department shall adopt rules establishing that 4 students enrolled in school districts in grades three through 5 eight and at least one high school grade shall be administered, 6 during the last quarter of each school year, the assessment 7 selected by the department in accordance with this section. An 8 accredited nonpublic school may administer the assessment to 9 students enrolled in the accredited nonpublic school. 10 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. This Act, being deemed of 11 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 Current law requires that the state board of education 16 provide in rule for a set of core academic indicators in 17 mathematics and reading in grades 4, 8, and 11, and for science 18 in grades 8 and 11, and that the Iowa assessments, used by 19 school districts in the school year beginning July 1, 2011, be 20 used for this purpose. 21 This bill strikes a requirement that the state board’s 22 rules provide that for the school year beginning July 1, 23 2017, all students enrolled in school districts in grades 3 24 through 11 shall be administered an assessment during the last 25 quarter of the school year that assesses student progress on 26 the core academic indicators. The requirement also provides 27 that the assessment used after July 1, 2017, at a minimum 28 must be aligned with the Iowa common core standards in both 29 content and rigor; accurately describe student achievement and 30 growth for purposes of the school, the school district, and 31 state accountability systems; and provide valid, reliable, and 32 fair measures of student progress toward college or career 33 readiness. 34 The bill requires the department of education to issue 35 -2- LSB 1479SV (3) 87 kh/rj 2/ 3

S.F. 240 a request for proposals for the selection of a statewide 1 assessment of student progress to be administered in the spring 2 of 2019, and annually thereafter. The assessment shall measure 3 individual student growth and be aligned to the Iowa core 4 academic standards for grades three through eight and at least 5 one high school grade, and be capable of measuring student 6 performance in English language arts, including reading and 7 writing; mathematics; and science. Assessments incapable of 8 assessing all of those subjects shall not be considered. The 9 assessment shall be available in both paper-and-pencil and 10 computer-based formats. Potential vendors or providers may 11 collaborate to meet the requirements. 12 In evaluating the proposals, the department shall consider 13 the feasibility of implementation by school districts; the 14 costs to school districts and the state; the assessment’s 15 alignment with the Iowa core academic standards; the ability 16 of the assessment to measure student growth and proficiency; 17 the ability of the assessment to meet the requirements of the 18 federal Every Student Succeeds Act; and the instructional time 19 required. 20 The department of education must issue the request 21 for proposals by April 30, 2017, and adopt rules for the 22 administration of the assessment selected by the department. 23 An accredited nonpublic school may administer the assessment to 24 its students. 25 The bill also strikes a Code provision that provides for 26 an assessment task force. The Iowa assessment task force 27 submitted its findings and recommendations in a report to the 28 general assembly on December 31, 2014. 29 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 30 -3- LSB 1479SV (3) 87 kh/rj 3/ 3