H.B. No. 1164
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to requiring the Texas Education Agency to conduct a study
  to develop a writing assessment method for public school students
  and establish a pilot program to administer the assessment method
  developed.
         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.  WRITING ASSESSMENT STUDY; PILOT PROGRAM.
  (a) During the 2015-2016 school year, the agency, in coordination
  with the entity that has been contracted to develop or implement
  assessment instruments under Section 39.023, shall conduct a study
  to develop a writing assessment method as an alternative to the
  writing assessment instruments required under Sections 39.023(a)
  and (c). The writing assessment method must be designed to assess:
               (1)  a student's mastery of the essential knowledge and
  skills in writing through timed writing samples;
               (2)  improvement of a student's writing skills from the
  beginning of the school year to the end of the school year;
               (3)  a student's ability to follow the writing process
  from rough draft to final product; and
               (4)  a student's ability to produce more than one type
  of writing style.
         (b)  During the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 school years, the
  agency shall establish a pilot program as provided by this section
  to implement in designated school districts the writing assessment
  method developed under Subsection (a).
         (c)  The agency shall designate school districts to
  participate in the pilot program as provided by this subsection.
  The pilot program must include at least one large urban district,
  one medium-sized district, and one rural district. Each district
  included must have a student enrollment that is representative of
  diverse demographics and socioeconomic backgrounds. To the extent
  practicable, the agency shall designate the number of districts the
  agency determines appropriate to achieve the cost savings described
  by Subsection (d). 
         (d)  A school district designated to participate in the pilot
  program under this section is not required to comply with the
  writing assessment requirements under Sections 39.023(a) and (c)
  during the period the district is participating in the pilot
  program. 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 agency shall establish the process for
  consolidating student writing assessments under the method
  developed under Subsection (a) to be submitted for scoring. This
  process may include the submission of a student portfolio for
  scoring.
         (f)  The individuals responsible for scoring student writing
  assessments under the pilot program shall be coordinated jointly
  by:
               (1)  the school district in which the student is
  enrolled and that is participating in the pilot program;
               (2)  a public junior college or institution of higher
  education that enters into an agreement with the participating
  school district; and
               (3)  the regional education service center that serves
  the participating district. 
         (g)  A random sampling of scored student writing
  assessments, the size of which the agency shall determine, shall be
  delivered to the agency. 
         (h)  Not later than September 1, 2016, the agency shall
  prepare and deliver to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the
  speaker of the house of representatives, and the presiding officer
  of each legislative standing committee with primary jurisdiction
  over primary and secondary education a report covering the study of
  the development of the writing assessment method under Subsection
  (a). Not later than September 1 of each year in 2017 and 2018, the
  agency shall prepare and deliver to the governor, the lieutenant
  governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
  presiding officer of each legislative standing committee with
  primary jurisdiction over primary and secondary education a report
  that:
               (1)  evaluates the implementation and progress of the
  pilot program under this section; and
               (2)  makes recommendations regarding the continuation
  or expansion of the pilot program.
         (i)  The agency shall adopt rules as necessary to administer
  this section.
         (j)  This section expires September 1, 2019.
         SECTION 2.  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, 2015.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1164 was passed by the House on April
  30, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 1164 on May 27, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 92, Nays 45,
  4 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1164 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 25, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 25, Nays
  6.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor