Students Excused From Taking State Assessments

State assessments - students excused from participating. The law existing at the time the act passed requires each school district, board of cooperative services that operates a school, and charter school (local education provider) to adopt a written policy and procedure by which a parent may excuse his or her student from participating in the state assessments. The act clarifies that the local education provider determines whether notice from the parent must be in writing.

The law existing at the time the act passed prohibits a local education provider from punishing a student whose parent excuses him or her from taking a state assessment. The act clarifies that a local education provider also shall not prohibit the student from participating in an activity or receiving any other form of reward that recognizes participation in the state assessments. If the department of education or the state board of education receives a parent complaint concerning a local education provider's implementation of the statute concerning students excused from taking assessments, the department must notify the local education provider of the nature of the complaint.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)