Sec. 39.0238. ADOPTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF POSTSECONDARY READINESS ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. (a) In addition to other assessment instruments adopted and developed under this subchapter, the agency shall adopt or develop appropriate postsecondary readiness assessment instruments for Algebra II and English III that a school district may administer at the district's option.

(b) To the extent practicable, the agency shall ensure that each postsecondary readiness assessment instrument:

(1) assesses essential knowledge and skills and growth;

(2) is developed in a manner that measures a student's performance under the college readiness standards established under Section 28.008; and

(3) is validated by national postsecondary education experts for college readiness content and performance standards.

(c) In adopting a schedule for the administration of postsecondary readiness assessment instruments under this section, the State Board of Education shall require the annual administration of the postsecondary readiness assessment instruments to occur not earlier than the second full week in May.

(d) The agency shall adopt a policy requiring each school district that elects to administer postsecondary readiness assessment instruments under Subsection (a) to annually:

(1) administer the applicable postsecondary readiness assessment instrument to each student enrolled in a course for which a postsecondary readiness assessment instrument is adopted or developed under Subsection (a), including applied Algebra II; and

(2) report the results of the postsecondary readiness assessment instruments to the agency.

(e) The agency shall annually deliver a report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the presiding officers of the standing committees of the legislature with jurisdiction over public education. The report must include a summary of student performance on the preceding year's postsecondary readiness assessment instruments.

(f) The results of a postsecondary readiness assessment instrument administered under this section may not be used by:

(1) the agency for accountability purposes for a school campus or school district;

(2) a school district:

(A) for the purpose of teacher evaluations; or

(B) in determining a student's final course grade or determining a student's class rank for the purpose of high school graduation; or

(3) an institution of higher education:

(A) for admission purposes; or

(B) to determine eligibility for a TEXAS grant.

(g) A school district may not administer an additional benchmark assessment instrument solely for the purpose of preparing for a postsecondary readiness assessment instrument administered under this section. In this subsection, "benchmark assessment instrument" means a district-required assessment instrument designed to prepare students for a postsecondary readiness assessment instrument administered under this section.

(h) The agency shall acknowledge a school district that elects to administer the postsecondary readiness assessment instruments as provided by Subsection (a).

Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 211 (H.B. 5), Sec. 34(a), eff. June 10, 2013.