Section 121.2. Standardized Testing Study.--(a) The committee shall conduct a comprehensive study on standardized tests and accountability requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-10, 20 U.S.C. § 6301 et seq.), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (Public Law 114-95, 129 Stat. 1802).
(b) The committee shall submit, no later than June 9, 2027, a report containing the results of the study to the Governor, the Secretary of Education, the chairperson of the State Board of Education, the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Education Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Education Committee of the House of Representatives. The study shall be posted on the committee's publicly accessible Internet website. The study shall include the following:
(1) How the Commonwealth's use of standardized tests complies with requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, including a review of participation and opt-out rates disaggregated by each school entity.
(2) A review of the type of assessments used by all other states to comply with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act.
(3) A summary of administrative changes to the Commonwealth's assessment system and implemented by the Department of Education between the 2014-2015 and 2025-2026 school years, including the reduction in the amount of time dedicated to federally required assessments and if testing time could be reduced further without jeopardizing validity of testing results.
(4) The amount of time necessary to administer standardized tests each year, disaggregated by type of exam and school entity, and a comparison to the amount of time dedicated to accountability assessments in other states.
(5) The total annual cost to the Commonwealth and school entities to administer standardized tests each year from the 2014-2015 through 2025-2026 school years, including the cost incurred by students to participate, disaggregated by type of exam and school entity.
(6) An analysis of the Commonwealth's students' participation in standardized tests in this Commonwealth, disaggregated by type of exam and school entity.
(7) A review of the total cost by state to administer higher education assessments in states that use one for purposes of compliance with the testing and accountability requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act. The examination shall include an analysis of annual costs incurred by states and how costs have changed from the 2014-2015 through 2025-2026 school years.
(8) An evaluation of testing accommodations for standardized tests and higher education assessments that permit students with disabilities, English learners and students who qualify for free and reduced lunch the opportunity to participate in each assessment and receive comparable benefits.
(9) A summary of how any changes to standardized tests or use of a different assessment would impact the educator evaluation system, the Future Ready Index, the calculation of academic growth via the value-added assessment system and Statewide graduation requirements or pathways.
(10) A survey of how school entities prepare students for the standardized tests, which may include practice tests, constructive response practice, a structure for intervention based on practice test results, school day schedule changes for tested and nontested students, test day strategies, a structure for remediation if students need to retest, verification of curriculum alignment and if local end-of-course assessments are administered in addition to the standardized tests in associated subject areas.
(11) A survey of educators and school technology administrators within this Commonwealth on the use of online assessments versus paper and pencil exams that will reflect their professional feedback on online assessments, benefits and concerns.
(12) A summary and comparison of the existing research on the correlation between performance on higher education assessments and performance on State standardized testing.
(13) An analysis of the effectiveness of higher education assessments for purposes of aggregate student comparison and differentiation among schools within the Commonwealth's accountability system.
(14) An evaluation to determine whether each higher education assessment meets or must meet the criteria for technical quality and peer review.
(15) An evaluation of the impact of changes to the Commonwealth's testing requirements on the alternative graduation pathways in section 121.
(16) A comparison of the cost to the Commonwealth to administer the Keystone Exams compared to an estimate of the cost to the Commonwealth to administer a higher education assessment as a replacement to the Keystone Exams.
(c) As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"ACT." As the term is defined in section 121(d).
"Advanced placement program." As the term is defined in section 121(d).
"Committee." The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.
"Higher education assessment." Any of the following:
(1) SAT.
(2) ACT.
(3) An exam for an advanced placement program.
"Keystone Exam." As the term is defined in section 102.
"PSSA test." As the term is defined in section 102.
"SAT." As the term is defined in section 121(d).
"School entity." As the term is defined in section 121(d).
"Standardized test." Any of the following:
(1) Keystone Exam.
(2) Pennsylvania System School Assessment test or PSSA test.
(3) Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment.
(121.2 added July 12, 2026, P.L.220, No.20)