Ohio House Passes Bill Regarding PARCC Testing in Schools

The Ohio House of Representatives today passed legislation that provides academic protections for students taking new state assessments  during the 2014-15 school year. New assessments in mathematics and English language arts are supplied by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC).

House Bill 7, sponsored by Rep. Jim Buchy (R-Greenville), prohibits schools from using test scores from state assessments when determining a student’s advancement to the next grade level and granting of course credit.    The bill also states that schools are not permitted to share individual student test scores to outside sources without consent from either the student or his or her parents.

“This bill addresses genuine concerns from those involved in education that students did not receive the same safe harbor provided to teachers and school districts in the last General Assembly,” Rep. Buchy said. “To answer these concerns, House Bill 7 ensures test results cannot be used in a negative way against the students, provides high school students another chance to improve their scores on the test and provides privacy for students regarding the results of the PARCC assessment.”

The bill passed unanimously out of both the House Education Committee and on the House floor. It will now go to the Ohio Senate for further consideration