Sec. 39.02341. TRANSITION TO ELECTRONIC ADMINISTRATION OF ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. (a) The agency, in consultation with the State Board of Education, shall develop a transition plan to administer all assessment instruments required under Section 39.023 electronically beginning not later than the 2022-2023 school year. The plan must:

(1) evaluate the availability of Internet access for each school district in this state;

(2) identify changes to state law or policy necessary to improve the availability of Internet access described by Subdivision (1);

(3) evaluate the state's experience with administering online assessment instruments, including the occurrence or effects of power outages or other types of disruptions of Internet service, and actions taken by the state to mitigate the occurrence and effect of those disruptions; and

(4) identify and evaluate actions taken by the state to improve the administration of online assessment instruments.

(b) The agency shall implement the transition plan beginning on September 1, 2021. In order to ensure legislative approval of the transition plan, this subsection expires August 31, 2021.

(c) Not later than December 1, 2020, the agency shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the members of the legislature a report on the plan developed under Subsection (a). The report must include:

(1) information from school districts assessing the needs of those districts in transitioning to electronic administration;

(2) any recommended changes to state law to assist in the transition; and

(3) a recommended timeline for statewide implementation of electronic administration.

(d) This section expires September 1, 2023.

Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1315 (H.B. 3906), Sec. 6, eff. June 14, 2019.