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

1-11 (2) Mathematics.

2-1 (3) Science.

2-2 (b) On or before [September 1, 1999,] January 15, 2000,

2-3 standards of content and performance, including, without limitation,

2-4 a prescription of the resulting level of achievement, based upon the

2-5 content of each course, that is expected of pupils for the following

2-6 courses of study:

2-7 (1) Social studies.

2-8 (2) Computer education.

2-9 (3) Health and physical education.

2-10 (4) The arts.

2-11 2. The council shall submit written recommendations to the

2-12 state board of education:

2-13 (a) On or before November 1, 1998, on the type of examinations

2-14 of achievement and proficiency to be administered statewide that

2-15 may be used to measure the achievement of pupils in the standards

2-16 of content and performance established by the council pursuant to

2-17 paragraph (a) of subsection 1. The recommendations must include

2-18 the grades in which the examinations should be administered.

2-19 (b) On or before [November 1, 1999,] January 15, 2000, on the

2-20 type of examinations of achievement and proficiency in social

2-21 studies to be administered statewide that may be used to measure

2-22 the achievement of pupils in the standards of content and

2-23 performance established by the council pursuant to subparagraph

2-24 (1) of paragraph (b) of subsection 1. The recommendations must

2-25 include the grades in which the examinations should be

2-26 administered.

2-27 3. In developing the standards and examinations pursuant to

2-28 subsections 1 and 2, the council shall:

2-29 (a) Hold at least eight meetings. The meetings must be held in at

2-30 least four different counties during the period commencing
2-31 August 1, 1997, and expiring [July 31, 1999.] June 30, 2001. At

2-32 least four of these meetings must be held to hear public testimony

2-33 concerning the proposed standards of content and performance and

2-34 the examinations of achievement and proficiency.

2-35 (b) Consult with licensed educational personnel in the various

2-36 school districts and with other persons who have knowledge and

2-37 experience concerning standards of content and performance or

2-38 examinations of achievement and proficiency in education.

2-39 (c) Review and consider any standards of content and

2-40 performance and any examinations of achievement and proficiency:

2-41 (1) Adopted by this state;

2-42 (2) Adopted by the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other

2-43 states;

3-1 (3) Adopted by the Federal Government; or

3-2 (4) Advocated in publications of entities, including, but not

3-3 limited to, the "Standards Primer: A Resource for Accelerating the

3-4 Pace of Reform," published in 1996 by the Education Leaders

3-5 Council.

3-6 4. The state board of education shall adopt:

3-7 (a) On or before January 1, 1999, the standards of content and

3-8 performance established by the council pursuant to paragraph (a) of

3-9 subsection 1, to take effect in the 1999-2000 school year.

3-10 (b) Examinations of achievement and proficiency to be

3-11 administered statewide [,] in selected grades, kindergarten through

3-12 eighth, commencing in the [1999-2000] 2000-2001 school year, to

3-13 measure the achievement of pupils in the standards of content and

3-14 performance adopted by the state board of education pursuant to

3-15 paragraph (a). In adopting the examinations, the state board shall

3-16 consider the written recommendations submitted by the council

3-17 pursuant to subsection 2. The examinations must be scored by a

3-18 single private entity or the department of education. In the first

3-19 year that the examinations are administered, the results of the

3-20 examinations must be used solely to gather information and data

3-21 concerning the examinations.

3-22 (c) On or before [January 1,] February 28, 2000, the standards

3-23 of content and performance established by the council pursuant to

3-24 paragraph (b) of subsection 1, to take effect in the 2000-2001

3-25 school year.

3-26 (d) Examinations of achievement and proficiency in social

3-27 studies to be administered statewide [,] in selected grades,

3-28 kindergarten through eighth, commencing in the [2000-2001]

3-29 2001-2002 school year, to measure the achievement of pupils in

3-30 social studies in the standards of content and performance adopted

3-31 by the state board pursuant to paragraph (c). In adopting the

3-32 examinations, the state board shall consider the written

3-33 recommendations submitted by the council pursuant to subsection

3-34 2. The examinations must be scored by a single private entity or the

3-35 department of education. In the first year that the examinations

3-36 are administered, the results of the examinations must be used

3-37 solely to gather information and data concerning the

3-38 examinations.

3-39 5. Commencing in the 2001-2002 school year, the high

3-40 school proficiency examination that, pursuant to subsection 6 of

3-41 NRS 389.015, pupils must pass to receive a standard high school

3-42 diploma must measure the performance of pupils on the

3-43 standards of content and performance adopted by the state board

4-1 of education pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 4. The high

4-2 school proficiency examination that measures the performance of

4-3 pupils on those standards must first be administered to pupils

4-4 enrolled in grade 11 in the 2001-2002 school year, who must pass

4-5 the examination before the completion of grade 12 to graduate

4-6 with a standard high school diploma in the 2002-2003 school

4-7 year. Pupils who graduate from high school in the 2001-2002

4-8 school year are not required to pass the examination that

4-9 measures the performance of pupils on the standards adopted

4-10 pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 4, but must pass the

4-11 examination that is administered to pupils in the immediately

4-12 preceding school year.

4-13 6. The state board of education shall:

4-14 (a) On or before February 1, 1999, submit a written report to the

4-15 council and to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for

4-16 transmission to the 70th session of the Nevada legislature. The

4-17 written report must include a description of the standards adopted

4-18 by the state board of education.

4-19 (b) On or before February 1, 2001, submit a written report to the

4-20 council and to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for

4-21 transmission to the 71st session of the Nevada legislature. The

4-22 written report must include a description of the standards adopted

4-23 by the state board of education.

4-24 [6.] 7. In addition to the duties prescribed in subsections 1 and

4-25 2, the council shall:

4-26 (a) As soon as practicable, but not later than April 1, 1999:

4-27 (1) Submit to the governor, the senate standing committee on

4-28 finance and the assembly standing committee on ways and means,

4-29 written reports regarding the standards adopted by the state board of

4-30 education pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 4.

4-31 (2) Submit to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for

4-32 transmission to the 70th session of the Nevada legislature any

4-33 recommendations for legislation that the council deems are

4-34 necessary to incorporate into the public schools the standards that it

4-35 established pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1.

4-36 (b) As soon as practicable, but not later than April 1, 2001:

4-37 (1) Submit to the governor, the senate standing committee on

4-38 finance and the assembly standing committee on ways and means,

4-39 written reports regarding the standards adopted by the state board of

4-40 education pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 4.

4-41 (2) Submit to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for

4-42 transmission to the 71st session of the Nevada legislature any

4-43 recommendations for legislation that the council deems are

5-1 necessary to incorporate into the public schools the standards that it

5-2 established pursuant to paragraphs (a) or (b) of subsection 1.

5-3 [7.] 8. The council shall, on or before June 30, 1999, and on or

5-4 before June 30, 2001, report to the legislative committee on

5-5 education, created pursuant to section 37 of this act, regarding the

5-6 standards and examinations that have been adopted by the state

5-7 board of education pursuant to subsection 4.

5-8 [8.] 9. The council shall, on or before June 30, 2001,

5-9 coordinate its duties pursuant to this section with the legislative

5-10 bureau of educational accountability and program evaluation,

5-11 created pursuant to section 41 of this act, to enable the bureau to

5-12 continue the duties of the council of evaluating and reporting after

5-13 June 30, 2001.

5-14 Sec. 2. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.