Gov. Rick Scott has signed a bill sponsored by state Rep. Marlene O’Toole that will reduce the number of tests taken by Florida public school students.
“This legislation reduces the number of tests our students take, including the 11th grade English Language Arts test that we eliminated this year through an Executive Order in February,” the governor said Tuesday in signing the bill into law.
HB 7069, sponsored by The Villages Republican legislator, was overwhelmingly approved in both the House and Senate.
In addition to cutting tests, the bill alters teacher evaluations by reducing the weight of student performance and instructional practice evaluations on the evaluations. The legislation would also allow districts to set a start date for the school year as early as Aug. 10.
