HB1585 (Stolle) would allow a division superintendent, with the school board's approval, to establish a school schedule that wold provide for year-round school or, for any school that has not achieved full accreditation, to set the school start date. The bill would also allow the superintendent to determine the schedule for the entire school division if more than 15% of the schools in the school division have not achieved full accreditation. Among other things, this bill would allow superintendents and school boards to start the school year in schools not fully accredited prior to Labor Day without obtaining a waiver from the post-Labor Day start requirement. This bill was reported from the House Education Reform Subcommittee.
HB1490 (Habeeb) was amended in subcommittee. As amended, the bill directs the Board of Education to promulgate regulations to provide the same criteria for eligibility for an expedited retake of any Standards of Learning test, with the exception of the writing Standards of Learning tests, to each student regardless of grade level or course. The bill also has an emergency clause, which means that, if enacted, the legislation would allow for expedited retakes this spring. The subcommittee approved reporting and referring the amended bill to Appropriations.
HB1302 (Farrell) was explained by the patron as an alternate to the approach taken by HB1490 in the event that HB1490 fails due to a lack of funding. HB1302 would directs the Board of Education to promulgate regulations to provide the same criteria for eligibility for an expedited retake of any Standards of Learning test for all students, grade levels, and courses. The bill would also permit local school boards to adopt such criteria and would require the locality to bear the cost of implementation. Delegate Farrell assured the subcommittee that he will strike this bill if HB1490 is passed out of the House Appropriations Committee. This bill was reported from the subcommittee.
HB1615 (Greason) would permit the required end-of-course or end-of-grade assessments for English, mathematics, science, and history and social science to be integrated to include multiple subject areas. This bill would not, however, require the use of integrated assessments. This bill was reported by the subcommittee.
HB1674 (Greason) would reduce the frequency that a school's accreditation status is reviewed by the Board of Education. The bill was amended in subcommittee to allow the Board of Education to review the accreditation status of schools every one, two, or three years, as determined by the Board of Education. The amended bill would also require that a school that is not fully accredited be reviewed in the subsequent year. The amended bill was reported by the subcommittee.
