Raikes has said the bill was a needed change that would allow teachers to spend less time developing local assessments and more time teaching students.

The bill directs the governor to appoint a technical advisory committee of nationally recognized assessment experts to advise him, the State Board of Education and the department on the development of statewide assessment instruments and a statewide assessment plan.

The plan for the statewide assessment and reporting system will be reported to the governor, the chairperson of the Legislature's Education Committee, the Clerk of the Legislature and the department. The state board will select grade levels for assessment and reporting according to the assessment instruments.

Annual statewide assessments are now required for:

• reading beginning in the 2009-10 school year, with assessment instruments in grades 3-8 and one high school grade;
• mathematics beginning in the 2010-11 school year, with assessment instruments in grades 3-8 and one high school grade; and
• science beginning in the 2011-12 school year, with assessment instruments in at least one elementary grade, one middle school or junior high grade and one high school grade.

A statewide assessment for writing already exists.

The bill allows the state board to select additional grade levels and additional subject areas for statewide assessment to comply with federal requirements. The state board is prohibited from requiring school districts to administer assessments or assessment instruments other than as prescribed by law.

The bill requires the state board to appoint committees of teachers from each appropriate subject area and administrators to assist in the development of statewide assessment instruments required.

References to locally adopted standards, local assessment instruments and generic grade levels are eliminated from the law.

Senators voted 33-15 to pass LB 1157.