PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

A bill to provide for fairness and accuracy in high stakes educational decisions for students.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 6, 2001

Establishes certain requirements relating to the use of large-scale standardized tests by State and local educational agencies (SEAs and LEAs) that receive funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA).Prohibits performance on a large-scale test from being the sole determinant of any decision about an individual student's retention, graduation, tracking, or within-class ability grouping. Allows such test performance to be considered in making such decision only if specified criteria are met.Requires evaluations of the impact of standardized tests used in high stakes decisions on students' education and educational outcomes, particularly on individuals and subgroups disaggregated by socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, limited English proficiency, disability, and gender, to be carried out by: (1) SEAs receiving ESEA funds; (2) LEAs receiving ESEA funds located in States that do not do such evaluations; and (3) the Secretary of Education.

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Who introduced it

Sen. Wellstone, Paul D. [D-MN] · D–MN

Committees

  • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

  2. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1898-1899)

  3. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Apr 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.460 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.460 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

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