Senate Committee Hears Feedback on SB 364
The Senate Education & Youth Committee met this afternoon to discuss SB 364, sponsored by Senate Education Chairman Lindsey Tippins (R-Marietta). SB 364, Tippins explained, is an attempt to alleviate some of the excessive testing requirements that are placed on students and teachers in Georgia. Tippins noted that despite the relief from a number of federal testing requirements provided by President Obama’s B.E.S.T. Act, there are still issues with the state standardized testing model. Tippins explained that the current model takes students out of the instructional learning setting and puts unnecessary burdens on the teachers and administrators. He briefly went through the various provisions of the bill, and although the discussion was ‘hearing only,’ a substitute bill will be written to address errors in the current draft. The main purpose of the bill, however, will remain the same. Following Tippins' overview, representatives from GAE, PAGE, TRAGIC, Georgia Association of Educational Leaders, Educators First, various teachers and administrators from around the state, and State School Superintendent Richard Woods spoke in strong support of the bill. The bill is expected to be passed by substitute in a follow up hearing next Monday.
We strongly encourage you to review the bill for yourself and to provide your input both to Education and Youth Committee members and to your local legislators. You can find contact information through the links below.
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