The latest assessment bill passed its first legislative test.

 

Senate Bill 188, which revises certain provisions regarding state tests, passed the Senate on a 33-1 vote after being amended and passed by Senate Education committee members 4-0.

 

Sen. Jim Bolin called the bill a “redo” of Senate Bill 24, which did essentially the same thing as SB 188 calls for, but was defeated by the House Education committee on a 10-4 vote, after being passed by the Senate Education and full Senate.

 

“This language (in SB 188) is more prescriptive,” S.D. Department of Education Legal Counsel Brett Arenz told Senate Education committee members.

 

SB 188 sets the testing requirement for high school students who have completed Algebra I, Biology and English III. It also ensures the testing requirements in English language arts and math, as well as science on a one-time basis, in grades three through eight.

 

ASBSD is monitoring the bill, which now heads to the House for review.

 

For updates on this bill and others, check the ASBSD Blog, Twitter feed, Facebook page and Bill Tracker.