HB1249 - Relating to authorizing the use of a writing portfolio assessment to assess writing performance for public school students.

  89R3513 RDR-F     By: Zwiener, VanDeaver, Buckley, Metcalf, H.B. No. 1249       González of El Paso       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to authorizing the use of a writing portfolio assessment   to assess writing performance for public school students.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 39.02301 to read as follows:           Sec.   39.02301.     OPTIONAL USE OF WRITING PORTFOLIO   ASSESSMENT. (a) A school district may elect to use a writing   portfolio assessment to assess writing performance for students   enrolled in the district as an alternative to administering the   portion of a reading assessment instrument under Section 39.023(a)   or English I or English II end-of-course assessment instrument   under Section 39.023(c) that is not presented in a multiple choice   format.           (b)     A school district that elects to use a writing portfolio   assessment under this section shall design the assessment in   consultation with a public or private institution of higher   education and submit the assessment to the agency for approval. The   agency shall approve the assessment if the assessment is:                 (1)     determined by the public or private institution of   higher education that consulted on the design of the assessment to   be valid and reliable; and                 (2)  designed to assess:                       (A)     a student's mastery of the essential   knowledge and skills in writing through timed writing samples;                       (B)     improvement of a student's writing skills   from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year;                       (C)     a student's ability to follow the writing   process from rough draft to final product; and                       (D)     a student's ability to produce more than one   type of writing style.           (c)     A school district that elects to use a writing portfolio   assessment under this section may adopt a policy allowing the   assessment to be scored by a classroom teacher assigned to the same   campus as the student to whom the assessment is administered. The   district may coordinate with the regional education service center   for the district's region in grading the assessments.           (d)     A school district that elects to use a writing portfolio   assessment under this section is not required to administer the   portion of a reading assessment instrument under Section 39.023(a)   or English I or English II end-of-course assessment instrument   under Section 39.023(c) that is not presented in a multiple choice   format during the period the district is administering the writing   portfolio assessment. The agency shall, to the greatest extent   practicable, apply cost savings that result from the exemption   under this subsection to offset the costs accrued under this   section.           (e)     The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to   implement this section.          SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026   school year.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.