Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

Under the chapter for elementary and secondary education, the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act establishes law related to state-adopted benchmark assessments for educational programs designed to remediate student learning loss and support student academic needs. This bill makes changes to these laws regarding pre-tests. <br /> <br /> AFTER-SCHOOL LEARNING MINI-CAMP<br /> <br /> Present law requires the administration of a state-adopted benchmark assessment at an after-school educational program designed to remediate student learning loss and support student academic needs ("after-school learning mini-camp"). The state-adopted benchmark assessment must be administered as follows:<br /> <br /> (1) To students in person as a pre-test at the beginning of the after-school learning mini-camp each school year; and<br /> <br /> (2) To students in person as a post-test at the end of the after-school learning mini-camp each school year, the results of which must be submitted to the department of education ("department").<br /> <br /> This bill removes (1) above.<br /> <br /> LEARNING LOSS BRIDGE CAMP<br /> <br /> Present law requires the administration of a state-adopted benchmark assessment at a four-week educational program conducted each year before the beginning of the school year, as part of the learning loss remediation and student acceleration program, that is designed to support student academic needs and remediate student learning loss ("learning loss bridge camp"). The state-adopted benchmark assessment must be administered as follows:<br /> <br /> (1) To students in person as a pre-test at the beginning of the learning loss bridge camp each year; and<br /> <br /> (2) To students in person as a post-test at the end of the learning loss bridge camp each year, the results of which must be submitted to the department.<br /> <br /> This bill removes (1) above.<br /> <br /> SUMMER LEARNING CAMP<br /> <br /> Present law requires the administration of a state-adopted benchmark assessment at a six-week summer educational program, as part of the learning loss remediation and student acceleration program, that is designed to support student academic needs and remediate student learning loss ("summer learning camp"). The state-adopted benchmark assessment must be administered as follows:<br /> <br /> (1) To students in person as a pre-test at the beginning of the summer learning camp each year; and<br /> <br /> (2) To students in person as a post-test at the end of the summer learning camp each year, the results of which must be submitted to the department.<br /> <br /> This bill removes (1) above.<br /> <br /> FUNDING<br /> <br /> Present law authorizes the use of funding for after-school learning mini-camps, learning loss bridge camps, and summer learning camps to provide staff to administer the state-adopted benchmark assessments to satisfy the pre-test and post-test requirements of after-school learning mini-camps, learning loss bridge camps, and summer learning camps. This bill removes the language "pre-test" from this provision.<br /> <br /> INNOVATIVE BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT PILOT PROGRAM<br /> <br /> Present law requires that the state-adopted benchmark assessments established under the pilot program be administered as the pre-tests and post-tests required as part of after-school learning mini-camps, learning loss bridge camps, or summer learning camp. This bill removes the language "pre-test" from this provision.<br /> <br /> PROGRESS REPORT<br /> <br /> Under present law, by September 1, 2021, and each September 1 thereafter, local education agencies (LEAs) and participating public charter schools must submit the results of all pre-tests and post-tests administered to the LEA's or participating public charter school's students as part of the after-school learning mini-camps, learning loss bridge camps, and summer learning camps to the department. The results of pre-tests and post-tests submitted to the department must not be used to assign accountability determinations for any school or district. This bill removes all mentions of pre-tests from the above.<br />