Sec. 1. 20-MRSA §6202, first ¶, as amended by PL 1985, c. 797, §37, is further amended to read:

The commissioner shall establish a statewide assessment program to measure and evaluate on a continuing basis the academic achievements of students at grades 2, 4, 8 and 11 in the public elementary and secondary schools and in all private schools approved for tuition whose school enrollments include at least 60% publicly-funded publicly funded students, as determined by the previous school year's October and April average enrollment. The assessment program shall must be adapted to meet the needs of exceptional students as defined in section 7001, subsection 2 or other students as defined under rules by the commissioner. The program shall must include the following components.

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §6202, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 859, Pt. D, §§3 and 4, is amended to read:

2. Additional subjects. The For grades 4, 8 and 11, the assessment program may be extended, consistent with available resources, to include assessments in science and social studies on a sampling basis in alternate years.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Commissioner of Education to establish a statewide academic assessment of 2nd grade students in reading, writing and mathematics.