WEST virginia legislature

2021 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 2161

By Delegate Pack

[Introduced February 10, 2021; Referred to the Committee on Education]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, by adding thereto a new section, designated §18-2-44, relating to the removal of standardized testing in public schools; providing for legislative findings; providing for a definition of standardized testing; providing for common standardized assessments used in this state; providing for removal of standardized testing with certain exceptions; providing for funding used for standardized testing be used for college-level readiness tests, such as the ACT and the SAT; and providing for an effective date.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

Article 2. State Board of Education.

§18-2-44. Removal of standardized testing in schools.

(a) The Legislature finds that standardized testing is not helpful for students wanting to go to college. Tests that colleges will utilize to ensure college-level readiness are the American College Test (ACT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and utilizing funding for increased preparation of those tests will ensure more West Virginia students are better prepared for college-level education.

(b) A standardized test is any form of test that: (1) Requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way; and (2) that is scored in a “standard” or consistent manner, which makes it possible to compare the relative performance of individual students to other students around the state, the nation, and the globe. Currently, the Office of Assessment uses the West Virginia General Summative Assessment for grades three through eight, the West Virginia Alternate Summative Assessment, the National Assessment of Educational Programs, and various international assessments administered by the National Center for Education Statistics.

(c) All standardized tests and testing, except for any practice ACT or SAT tests administered in public schools, will be taken out of all West Virginia public schools. All funds that would be used for any standardized tests and testing in public schools shall instead be used for ACT or SAT preparation in West Virginia public schools.

(d) This section shall become effective for the 2021-2022 school year and for every school year thereafter.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to eliminate standardized testing requirements in West Virginia public schools and to use the funds needed for standardized testing to invest in preparation for the ACT and the SAT for students.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.