SESSION WATCH
THE BILL ITSELF

SB 342

Statewide, Standardized Assessments

VERSION S 342 Filed · BACK TO THE SUMMARY · OFFICIAL RECORD

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 342 By Senator Arrington 25-00697-26 2026342__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to statewide, standardized
3 assessments; amending ss. 1008.22 and 1008.25, F.S.;
4 requiring the Department of Education to develop
5 versions of statewide, standardized assessments and
6 specified portions of the statewide, standardized
7 coordinated screening and progress monitoring system,
8 respectively, in certain languages by a specified
9 date; requiring the department to develop a timetable
10 and an action plan for the development and
11 implementation of such assessments and written
12 portions of the system; requiring the department to
13 establish criteria for the use of such assessments and
14 portions of the system; authorizing parents to
15 prohibit the use of such assessments and portions of
16 the system in certain languages; providing an
17 effective date.
19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21 Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section
22 1008.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
23 1008.22 Student assessment program for public schools.—
24 (3) STATEWIDE, STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.—The
25 Commissioner of Education shall design and implement a
26 statewide, standardized assessment program aligned to the core
27 curricular content established in the state academic standards.
28 The commissioner also must develop or select and implement a
29 common battery of assessment tools that will be used in all
30 juvenile justice education programs in the state. These tools
31 must accurately measure the core curricular content established
32 in the state academic standards. Participation in the assessment
33 program is mandatory for all school districts and all students
34 attending public schools, including adult students seeking a
35 standard high school diploma under s. 1003.4282 and students in
36 Department of Juvenile Justice education programs, except as
37 otherwise provided by law. If a student does not participate in
38 the assessment program, the school district must notify the
39 student’s parent and provide the parent with information
40 regarding the implications of such nonparticipation. The
41 statewide, standardized assessment program shall be designed and
42 implemented as follows:
43 (d) Students with disabilities; Florida Alternate
44 Assessment ; English language learners .—
45 1. Each district school board must provide instruction to
46 prepare students with disabilities in the core content knowledge
47 and skills necessary for successful grade-to-grade progression
48 and high school graduation.
49 2. A student with a disability, as defined in s. 1007.02,
50 for whom the individual education plan (IEP) team determines
51 that the statewide, standardized assessments under this section
52 cannot accurately measure the student’s abilities, taking into
53 consideration all allowable accommodations, shall have
54 assessment results waived for the purpose of receiving a course
55 grade and a standard high school diploma. Such waiver must shall
56 be designated on the student’s transcript. The statement of
57 waiver is shall be limited to a statement that performance on an
58 assessment was waived for the purpose of receiving a course
59 grade or a standard high school diploma, as applicable.
60 3. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules, based
61 upon recommendations of the commissioner, for the provision of
62 assessment accommodations for students with disabilities and for
63 students who have limited English proficiency.
64 a. Accommodations that negate the validity of a statewide,
65 standardized assessment are not allowed during the
66 administration of the assessment. However, instructional
67 accommodations are allowed in the classroom if identified in a
68 student’s IEP. Students using instructional accommodations in
69 the classroom which that are not allowed on a statewide,
70 standardized assessment may have assessment results waived if
71 the IEP team determines that the assessment cannot accurately
72 measure the student’s abilities.
73 b. If a student is provided with instructional
74 accommodations in the classroom which that are not allowed as
75 accommodations for statewide, standardized assessments, the
76 district must inform the parent in writing and provide the
77 parent with information regarding the impact on the student’s
78 ability to meet expected performance levels. A parent must
79 provide signed consent for a student to receive classroom
80 instructional accommodations that would not be available or
81 permitted on a statewide, standardized assessment and
82 acknowledge in writing that he or she understands the
83 implications of such instructional accommodations.
84 c. If a student’s IEP states that online administration of
85 a statewide, standardized assessment will significantly impair
86 the student’s ability to perform, the assessment must shall be
87 administered in hard copy.
88 d.(I) By the 2027-2028 school year, the Department of
89 Education shall develop a version of each statewide,
90 standardized assessment in the three most prevalent languages
91 represented in the English language learner population in this
92 state. The department shall establish criteria for when the use
93 of such assessments in a language other than English is
94 appropriate. A parent of a student who is an English language
95 learner may prohibit his or her student from being administered
96 an assessment in a language other than English.
97 (II) The department shall develop a timetable and an action
98 plan to develop and implement the assessments in the additional
99 languages as required under sub-sub-subparagraph (I) in addition
100 to such assessments in additional languages, as feasible.
101 4. For students with significant cognitive disabilities,
102 the Department of Education shall provide for implementation of
103 the Florida Alternate Assessment to accurately measure the core
104 curricular content established in the state academic standards.
105 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (9) of section
106 1008.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
107 1008.25 Public school student progression; student support;
108 coordinated screening and progress monitoring; reporting
109 requirements.—
110 (9) COORDINATED SCREENING AND PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM.—
111 (a) The Department of Education, in collaboration with the
112 Office of Early Learning, shall procure and require the use of a
113 statewide, standardized coordinated screening and progress
114 monitoring system for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
115 Program and public schools. The system must:
116 1. Measure student progress in meeting the appropriate
117 expectations in early literacy and mathematics skills and in
118 English Language Arts and mathematics standards as required by
119 ss. 1002.67(1)(a) and 1003.41 and identify the educational
120 strengths and needs of students.
121 2. For students in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
122 Program through grade 3, measure student performance in oral
123 language development, phonological and phonemic awareness,
124 knowledge of print and letters, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
125 and comprehension, as applicable by grade level, and, at a
126 minimum, provide interval level and norm-referenced data that
127 measures equivalent levels of growth.
128 3. Be a valid, reliable, and developmentally appropriate
129 computer-based direct instrument that provides screening and
130 diagnostic capabilities for monitoring student progress;
131 identifies students who have a substantial deficiency in reading
132 or mathematics, including identifying students with
133 characteristics of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and other learning
134 disorders; and informs instruction. Any student identified by
135 the system as having characteristics of dyslexia or dyscalculia
136 shall undergo further screening. Beginning with the 2023-2024
137 school year, the coordinated screening and progress monitoring
138 system must be computer-adaptive.
139 4. Provide data for Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
140 Program accountability as required under s. 1002.68.
141 5. Provide Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program
142 providers, school districts, schools, teachers, and parents with
143 data and resources that enhance differentiated instruction and
144 parent communication.
145 6. Provide baseline data to the department of each
146 student’s readiness for kindergarten. The determination of
147 kindergarten readiness must be based on the results of each
148 student’s initial progress monitoring assessment in
149 kindergarten. The methodology for determining a student’s
150 readiness for kindergarten must be developed by the department
151 and aligned to the methodology adopted pursuant to s.
152 1002.68(4).
153 7. Assess how well educational goals and curricular
154 standards are met at the provider, school, district, and state
155 levels and provide information to the department to aid in the
156 development of educational programs, policies, and supports for
157 providers, districts, and schools.
158 8. By the 2027-2028 school year, be available for all
159 written portions and be in the three most prevalent languages
160 represented in the English language learner population in this
161 state. The department shall develop a timetable and an action
162 plan to develop and implement the written portions of the system
163 in such languages as required by sub-subparagraph a. in addition
164 to such portions in additional languages, as feasible. The
165 department shall establish criteria for when the use of such
166 portions of the system in a language other than English is
167 appropriate. A parent of a student who is an English language
168 learner may prohibit his or her student from being administered
169 such portions of the system in a language other than English.
170 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.