EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

1-1 Section 1. Section 45 of chapter 473, Statutes of Nevada 1997, at

1-2 page 1780, is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-3 Sec. 45. 1. The council to establish academic standards for

1-14 performance, including, without limitation, a prescription of the

2-1 resulting level of achievement, based upon the content of each

2-2 course, that is expected of pupils for the following courses of study:

2-3 (1) Social studies.

2-4 (2) Computer education.

2-5 (3) Health and physical education.

2-6 (4) The arts.

2-7 2. The council shall submit written recommendations to the

2-8 state board of education:

2-9 (a) On or before November 1, 1998, on the type of examinations

2-10 of achievement and proficiency to be administered statewide that may be used to measure the 2-11 achievement of pupils in the standards

2-12 of content and performance established by the council pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1. The 2-13 recommendations must include

2-14 the grades in which the examinations should be administered.

2-15 (b) On or before November 1, 1999, on the type of examinations

2-16 of achievement and proficiency in social studies to be administered statewide that may be used to 2-17 measure the achievement of pupils in

2-18 the standards of content and performance established by the council pursuant to subparagraph (1) of 2-19 paragraph (b) of subsection 1. The

2-20 recommendations must include the grades in which the examinations should be administered.

2-21 3. In developing the standards and examinations pursuant to subsections 1 and 2, the council shall:

2-22 (a) Hold at least eight meetings. The meetings must be held in at least four different counties during 2-23 the period commencing August

2-24 1, 1997, and expiring July 31, 1999. At least four of these meetings must be held to hear public 2-25 testimony concerning the proposed

2-26 standards of content and performance and the examinations of achievement and proficiency.

2-27 (b) Consult with licensed educational personnel in the various school districts and with other 2-28 persons who have knowledge and

2-29 experience concerning standards of content and performance or examinations of achievement and 2-30 proficiency in education.

2-31 (c) Review and consider any standards of content and performance and any examinations of 2-32 achievement and

2-33 proficiency:

2-34 (1) Adopted by this state;

2-35 (2) Adopted by the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other states;

2-36 (3) Adopted by the Federal Government; or

2-37 (4) Advocated in publications of entities, including, but not

2-38 limited to, the "Standards Primer: A Resource for Accelerating the

3-1 Pace of Reform," published in 1996 by the Education Leaders Council.

3-2 4. The state board of education shall adopt:

3-3 (a) On or before January 1, 1999, the standards of content and

3-4 performance established by the council pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1, to take effect in the 3-5 1999-2000 school year.

3-6 (b) Examinations of achievement and proficiency to be administered statewide, commencing in the 3-7 [1999-2000] 2002-

3-8 2003 school year, to measure the achievement of pupils in the standards of content and performance 3-9 adopted by the state board of

3-10 education pursuant to paragraph (a). In adopting the examinations, the state board shall consider the 3-11 written recommendations

3-12 submitted by the council pursuant to subsection 2. The examinations must be scored by a single 3-13 private entity or the

3-14 department of education.

3-15 (c) On or before January 1, 2000, the standards of content and

3-16 performance established by the council pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 1, to take effect in 3-17 the 2000-2001 school year.

3-18 (d) Examinations of achievement and proficiency in social studies to be administered statewide, 3-19 commencing in the [2000-

3-20 2001] 2003-2004 school year, to measure the achievement of pupils in social studies in the standards 3-21 of content and performance

3-22 adopted by the state board pursuant to paragraph (c). In adopting the examinations, the state board 3-23 shall consider the written

3-24 recommendations submitted by the council pursuant to subsection 2. The examinations must be 3-25 scored by a single private entity or the

3-26 department of education.

3-27 5. The state board of education shall:

3-28 (a) On or before February 1, 1999, submit a written report to the council and to the director of the 3-29 legislative counsel bureau for

3-30 transmission to the 70th session of the Nevada legislature. The written report must include a 3-31 description of the standards adopted

3-32 by the state board of education.

3-33 (b) On or before February 1, 2001, submit a written report to the

3-34 council and to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for transmission to the 71st session of the 3-35 Nevada legislature. The

3-36 written report must include a description of the standards adopted by the state board of education.

3-37 6. In addition to the duties prescribed in subsections 1 and 2, the council shall:

3-38 (a) As soon as practicable, but not later than April 1, 1999:

3-39 (1) Submit to the governor, the senate standing committee on

3-40 finance and the assembly standing committee on ways and means,

4-1 written reports regarding the standards adopted by the state board of education pursuant to paragraph 4-2 (a) of subsection 4.

4-3 (2) Submit to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for transmission to the 70th session of 4-4 the Nevada legislature any

4-5 recommendations for legislation that the council deems are necessary to incorporate into the public 4-6 schools the standards that it

4-7 established pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1.

4-8 (b) As soon as practicable, but not later than April 1, 2001:

4-9 (1) Submit to the governor, the senate standing committee on finance and the assembly standing 4-10 committee on ways and means,

4-11 written reports regarding the standards adopted by the state board of education pursuant to paragraph 4-12 (c) of subsection 4.

4-13 (2) Submit to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for transmission to the 71st session of 4-14 the Nevada legislature any

4-15 recommendations for legislation that the council deems are necessary to incorporate into the public 4-16 schools the standards that it

4-17 established pursuant to paragraphs (a) or (b) of subsection 1.

4-18 7. The council shall, on or before June 30, 1999, and on or

4-19 before June 30, 2001, report to the legislative committee on education, created pursuant to section 37 4-20 of this act, regarding the

4-21 [standards and examinations] :

4-22 (a) Standards adopted by the state board of education pursuant

4-23 to subsection 4.

4-24 (b) Examinations adopted by the state board of education

4-25 pursuant to subsection 4, if such examinations have been adopted at the time that the report is 4-26 presented.

4-27 8. The council shall, on or before June 30, 2001, coordinate its duties pursuant to this section with 4-28 the legislative bureau of

4-29 educational accountability and program evaluation, created pursuant to section 41 of this act, to 4-30 enable the bureau to continue

4-31 the duties of the council of evaluating and reporting after June 30,

4-32 2001.

4-33 Sec. 2. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.