Remote Testing & Online Education Programs

The act requires the department of education (department) to develop, review, and update state assessment administration and security policies (policies) for home-based, virtual administration of computer-based state assessments (assessments) for students enrolled full time in online schools or online programs. The policies must include, but are not limited to:

• Testing personnel qualifications;
• Maximum ratio of students to virtual administrator;
• Tester verification;
• Remote setting requirements, including restriction to other devices or people with or without internet capabilities;
• Monitoring of the test-taker and testing environment;
• Device and network requirements;
• Parental consent agreements; and
• Eligibility for schools to conduct assessments.

The department's policies must support the collection of evidence and evaluation of assessment results in order to administer assessments in the 2024-25 school year, with the expectation of full implementation of assessments no later than the 2025-26 school year that result in valid scores.

To establish the validity of assessments in the 2024-25 school year, the department shall conduct validation activities, gather data, and evaluate the comparability of home-based, virtual state assessments and school-based, in-person administered state assessments. To encourage student and educator participation in validation activities, the department may provide incentives.

The act appropriates $440,000 to the department from the state education fund to implement the act.

APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024

EFFECTIVE June 5, 2024
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)