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Senate unanimously approves bill loosening some testing stakes, boosting district flexibility and teacher pathways
Summary
The Senate passed CS for SB 166 37-0, changing how Algebra I and 10th-grade ELA exams factor into final grades, increasing student-performance weighting in teacher evaluations, and creating new teacher contract and certifcation options and third-grade progression changes.
The Florida Senate unanimously passed committee substitute for Senate Bill 166 on April 3 by a vote of 37-0. The bill makes several changes to K-12 administrative and accountability rules, sponsor Senator Simon said.
Senator Simon described the measure as aimed at reducing regulatory burdens on public schools and rebalancing assessment stakes. Among floor-described changes, the bill makes Algebra I and the Grade 10 ELA assessment count for 30% of the student's final course grade rather than serve as a standalone graduation requirement; it expands options for student progression to fourth grade; and it permits districts to design personnel evaluations with student performance constituting half of an evaluation. The bill also creates a three-year teacher contract, authorizes a 10-year professional certificate with additional learning requirements, and adjusts temporary certificate rules for teacher apprentices.
Senator Simon explained amendments adopted on the floor: they clarified purchasing time frames, limited an exemption for the state assessment to end-of-year exams, added a good-cause exemption for third-grade retention (requiring a level 2 or higher on two of three progress-monitoring assessments), preserved superintendent authority to reassign teachers during three-year contracts, and directed OPAGA (the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability) to study the cost per student station rather than immediately remove the metric.
Supporters argued the bill reduces test anxiety and restores local flexibility. "I'm happy that this bill is focusing on public education," Senator Sharif said. Some senators urged caution about putting heavier weight on student performance in teacher evaluations; Senator Davis said the change "is concerning" and asked for future review. Sponsor Simon said the change increases emphasis on student learning while giving districts flexibility in other evaluation components.
The Senate passed the measure on a roll call announced as "37 yays, 0 nays, Mister President." The bill will be sent to the House for consideration.
