Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

Present law requires public school students to take an examination at grade 11 to assess readiness for postsecondary education. This assessment must be approved by the commissioner of education and provide information to assist in developing interventions for the purpose of improving student preparation for postsecondary achievement. This bill revises the above provision regarding the required assessment to provide that if a public school student in grade 11 intends to attend a college or university, then the student must take an assessment approved by the commissioner that will assist in developing interventions to improve student preparation for postsecondary achievement. If a public school student in grade 11 intends to attend a career and technical college or pursue a career path, then the student must take an assessment approved by the commissioner that measures foundational workplace skills and assists in developing interventions to improve student preparation for postsecondary career and technical education or entrance into the workplace. This bill requires that a school counselor meet with each student in grade 10 to determine the student's postsecondary interests and advise the student concerning the assessment that the student should take. This bill authorizes the commissioner to approve an assessment and alternate assessments for each required assessment, as described above. Present law requires LEAs to make an interest inventory such as the Kuder assessment, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality inventory, the ASVAB, the College Board Career Finder, or other interest or career inventory available to public middle schoolers or ninth graders to assist students in determining the students' interests and in making career decisions. Also, in order to help inform a student's high school plan of study, each LEA must administer a career aptitude assessment to students in grade seven or grade eight. This bill adds that after the career aptitude assessment is administered to a student, the school counselor must meet with the student and the student's parent or guardian to discuss the student's results on the career aptitude assessment. At the meeting, the counselor will advise the student on potential career paths and the options for high school study in career and technical programs as well as academic programs. This bill requires the counselor to explain the assessments required in grade 11 and which assessment should be taken depending on the type of program of study pursued.