PACT edges toward demise

Senate sends education bill back to House

South Carolina is a step closer to eliminating the standardized Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test given to public school students and revamping its entire education accountability system.

The Senate gave unanimous second-reading approval Thursday to a bill that would accomplish those goals, and lawmakers are expected to give it a routine third reading. The bill was given an OK by the House earlier this year, but because the Senate made changes to it, the legislation must return to the House.

One of the biggest differences between the Senate and House versions are that the Senate bill would require the state to replace the state standardized tests by 2009, but the House bill delays that replacement until 2010.

The state's PACT, which is taken by third- through eighth-grade students annually, would be replaced with new end-of-year accountability tests that would include essay exams in March and easily scored multiple-choice exams in May. Schools would receive students' results about two months earlier than they do now, and teachers would have more in-depth information about how to help their students.

State Education Superintendent Jim Rex said the new tests could be ready by next year, and he'd prefer replacing the state's tests then rather than waiting until 2010 .

"This is a test that should've been replaced probably some years ago," he said.

If the House doesn't accept the changes made by the Senate, the bill would head to a conference committee.

This bill would mark the first significant changes to the Education Accountability Act, which was approved by the General Assembly 10 years ago.

Rex was so concerned last week that the General Assembly wouldn't make changes to the law before the session ended that he urged educators to contact their senators. Thousands responded, he said.

Charleston Schools Superintendent Nancy McGinley has encouraged senior-level staff to reach out to lawmakers to help them understand the critical importance of the legislation. She called the bill "a major step in the right direction" and said she prefers a 2009 implementation versus 2010.

"Why delay it another year?" she said. "Why put students through another cycle where the tests are not helpful?"

The bill would enable the state's accountability tests to become more useful tools in giving students extra help when necessary, and it would change the labeling system for schools' ratings to be more supportive, McGinley said.

"These changes send a different message, and they certainly are much needed," she said.

The Senate's bill would:

--Replace the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test next year with end-of-the-year accountability tests. A multiple-choice part would be taken near the end of the school year and a writing portion two months earlier.

--Summarize information sent to parents in the state's annual report cards for schools and districts. Parents would receive two pages, rather than up to eight, for each, in an effort to make the reports more understandable.

--Change students' scoring levels to "exemplary," "met" and "not met," and set "met" as on grade level for federal proficiency standards. Currently, students are judged as "below basic," "basic," "proficient" and "advanced."

--Change the label of schools' bottom performance category from "unsatisfactory" to a "school at risk."

--Delete the requirement that teachers create academic plans at the beginning of the school year for students who score in the bottom tier.

--Require the Education Oversight Committee to review the state's accountability system every five years.

Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@postand courier.com.