Who filed report: Jared Carman

Bill Number: HB 200

Bill Title: STUDENT ASSESSMENT MODIFICATIONS

Bill Grade: B

Bill Sponsors: Poulson, Marie H.

Bill Summary:

Beginning with the 2016-17 school year, for all students in grade 11, a school district or charter school may waive the obligation to administer the Utah Performance Assessment System for Students (UPASS) test. This is because schools are already currently required to administer a "college readiness test" chosen by the Utah Board of Education. This test is the ACT.

Does the bill increase/decrease local control?: Neither

How?: It does nothing to increase or decrease local control.

Does it increase/decrease parental rights?: Neither

How?: It does nothing to increase or decrease parental rights.

Does it help/hurt children?: Helps Children

How?: Eliminates a redundant high-stakes test.

Any conflicts of interest?: No.

Other comments:

Eliminating one redundant high-stakes test is a step in the right direction.

Ideally, the statute would be modified to let districts and charter schools choose their own measures of success (e.g., college placement rates, scholarship rates, Iowa tests scores, etc).