HB 25-10: National College Access Act (Passed Senate Version)

[Mike Thick]

NATIONAL COLLEGE ACCESS ACT

To reform the administration of tests used in college administration and establishing federal policy to facilitate better regional regulation of the same, while ensuring access to college and college credit for those in need.

Be it enacted by the House of Representatives and Senate of the Republic of Atlasia in Congress assembled

REGIONALIZAING REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER TESTING

1. Any testing requirements established in Federal law as a condition of federal funding for universities or financial aid shall be phased out by January 1, 2021, and the regions are encouraged to pass their own set of regulations by the same date of January 1, 2021.

2. The Department of Education shall work to reduce the monopolization in the field of testing by working with the regions to establish digital portals from which all possible testing options may be viewed, with access to resources to help those in need including that which is established in this bill and in other preexisting programs. Nothing in this section shall prohibit by law the regions requiring a single testing option.

3. Nothing in this bill shall prohibit the establishment of a regional testing opting via regional educational authorities, though said options must meet the standards set in Section 4.

4. The Department of Education shall establish strict guidelines for educational non-profits, including caps on compensation for the purpose of maintaining the integrity of said non-profit status.

5. The Internal Revenue Service shall work closely with, the Department of Education and with regional partners to enforce strict guidelines governing educational non-profits, with the power to strip non-profit status, levy back taxes, fees and fines and even seek federal indictment against those who abuse said non-profit status.


SECTION II. ENCOURAGING CONSOLIDATION OF TESTING AND PROVIDING SUPPORT

1. The Atlasian Department of Education shall work with regional partners and local education authorities, to reduce the amount of standardized tests administered in public high schools.

2. Any private organization seeking to supply assessments to any public high school in the Republic of Atlasia must comply with the standards specified in Section I and Section IV of this bill in addition to any standards implemented by regional governments.

3. A $200 dollar grant shall be made available to high school students from families at or below the poverty line to cover the costs of any standardized test for either admissions or for college credit. This shall be phased out increments of $50 for families between 100% of the poverty line and 250% of the poverty line:
100% - 150%: $150
150% - 200%: $100
200% - 250%: $50

4. The remaining portions of the above grant not used to cover the cost of said tests, may then be applied to college books and supplies, in accordance with administrative guidelines set by the Department of Education.

SECTION III. NATIONAL TESTING ORGANISATION
1. The Department of Education shall create a new assessment provider to offer as an alternative for regions to utilize in high school college admission assessments or for college credits awarded in high school. This new organization shall be formed as a subsidiary under the Department of Education and shall be called the "National Testing Organization (NTO)".

2. The NTO shall produce assessments in accordance with the standards provided in Section IV of this bill.

3. Regions are permitted to opt-out of any assessments imposed on a national level by the NTO in favor of regional assessments or other competing options.

4. The NTO shall have a separate department for each region which shall produce assessments according to the policies of the regional governments, unless said region declines said testing options. The Department of Education may reform said department if and when a region changes its polices in this regards.

5. No universities receiving public funds may reject the tests produced by the NTO for the purposes of college access if they accept tests done by privately owned corporations.

6. The NTO may not charge students at public schools more than $10 per test that the student takes.

7. The NTO shall operate on a budget of $800 million per year, subject to inflation.

8. The NTO shall begin distributing assessments for academic year 2021/2022.

SECTION IV: ASSESSMENT STANDARDS
1. All specified assessment providers must meet the standards described in this section:
 a. All specified assessment providers must incorporate 2 or more of the following modes of assessment into any assessment regime:
 i. Essay-based assessment.
 ii. Research project.
 iii. Mathematical problem-solving.
 iv. Scientific experiment.
 v. Artistic project.
 vi. Work experience and internships.
 vii. Spoken exam.
 b. All specified assessment providers must have clear arrangements for giving special consideration to students facing the following circumstances:
 i. Physical and mental disabilities.
 ii. Learning difficulties.
 iii. Illness or injury.
 iv. Bereavement.
 
2. Schools must have clear arrangements to ensure access to assessments to students facing limiting circumstances.
 a. Eligible concerns:
 i. Physical and mental disabilities.
 ii. Learning disabilities.
 iii. Illness or injury.
 iv. Bereavement.
 b. Responsibilities:
 i. Schools must offer the opportunity to take an assessment at another date for students who are unable to take an assessment where there is a specific date.
 ii. Schools must inform the assessment provider if a student is eligible for special consideration as outlined in Part 1b.
 iii. Schools must respond to and record concerns issued by Students and Guardians regarding a need for special consideration.
 
3. All specified assessment providers must provide the following material free of charge:
 a. Past papers
 b. Sample papers
 c. Model answers
 d. Grading rubric
 e. Information about relevant learning materials available for students

4. A sub-department shall be formed under each regional department which shall be responsible for ensuring that the assessments produced by the NTO meet the standards provided in this section.

5. The sub-departments created by Part 4 are required to publish a report by the 1st of November every year examining the assessments they have produced, the results and feedback received; and explaining measures the organization has taken to ensure the standards covered in this section and any additional policies implemented by the relevant region have been adhered to.
 a. This provision shall take effect on the 1st of January 2022.

SECTION V: INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION
1. The budget of the Department of Education shall be increased by the amount generated in Section VI, Clause 1.
 a. This money shall be used to fund the grants provided in Section 5, Clause 3 and Section 2, Clause 3, and the National Testing Organization established in Section 3.
 b. The remainder of this money shall be distributed to schools.
 i. The Department of Education shall be tasked with calculating a formula which prioritizes schools with large class sizes, low funding per student and low achievement.

2. The price for a textbook or other learning material required to take an assessment shall be capped at $75 per item.

3. Students living below the Atlasian Federal Poverty line shall be eligible for a $200 grant to pay for books and supplies. This shall be phased out increments of $50 for families between 100% of the poverty line and 250% of the poverty line:
100% - 150%: $150
150% - 200%: $100
200% - 250%: $50


SECTION VI. FUNDING
1. A tax of 4% per annum shall be levied on endowments supported by educational institutions who have net assets of more than $500,000 per student.
 a. The threshold of net assets of more than $500,000 shall be subject to inflation.

SECTION VII. ENACTMENT
1. This bill, except for the parts that specify otherwise, shall become enacted immediately after passage

House of Representatives
Passed the House of Representatives 5-2-0-2


As Amended
People's Regional Senate
Passed 3-0-2 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled,

[Mike Thick]

A final vote is open on this legislation, which was previously passed in the House and amended in the Senate. Members will have at most 72 hours to vote, or 24 hours from whenever the bill attains majority support or opposition. Please vote Aye, Nay, or abstain.

Aye.

[Gracile]

Aye

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Aye

[Joseph Cao]

Aye.

[SevenEleven]

Aye

[Mike Thick]

Bill has majority support. 24 hours to vote or change your vote.

[Mike Thick]

Alrighty.

Ayes:
Gracile
Joseph Cao
razze
SevenEleven
Ted Bessell

Not Voting:
Elcaspar
HCP
Muad'dib
Winfield

By a vote of 5-0-0-4, this bill passes.

[Mike Thick]

NATIONAL COLLEGE ACCESS ACT

To reform the administration of tests used in college administration and establishing federal policy to facilitate better regional regulation of the same, while ensuring access to college and college credit for those in need.

Be it enacted by the House of Representatives and Senate of the Republic of Atlasia in Congress assembled

REGIONALIZAING REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER TESTING

1. Any testing requirements established in Federal law as a condition of federal funding for universities or financial aid shall be phased out by January 1, 2021, and the regions are encouraged to pass their own set of regulations by the same date of January 1, 2021.

2. The Department of Education shall work to reduce the monopolization in the field of testing by working with the regions to establish digital portals from which all possible testing options may be viewed, with access to resources to help those in need including that which is established in this bill and in other preexisting programs. Nothing in this section shall prohibit by law the regions requiring a single testing option.

3. Nothing in this bill shall prohibit the establishment of a regional testing opting via regional educational authorities, though said options must meet the standards set in Section 4.

4. The Department of Education shall establish strict guidelines for educational non-profits, including caps on compensation for the purpose of maintaining the integrity of said non-profit status.

5. The Internal Revenue Service shall work closely with, the Department of Education and with regional partners to enforce strict guidelines governing educational non-profits, with the power to strip non-profit status, levy back taxes, fees and fines and even seek federal indictment against those who abuse said non-profit status.


SECTION II. ENCOURAGING CONSOLIDATION OF TESTING AND PROVIDING SUPPORT

1. The Atlasian Department of Education shall work with regional partners and local education authorities, to reduce the amount of standardized tests administered in public high schools.

2. Any private organization seeking to supply assessments to any public high school in the Republic of Atlasia must comply with the standards specified in Section I and Section IV of this bill in addition to any standards implemented by regional governments.

3. A $200 dollar grant shall be made available to high school students from families at or below the poverty line to cover the costs of any standardized test for either admissions or for college credit. This shall be phased out increments of $50 for families between 100% of the poverty line and 250% of the poverty line:
100% - 150%: $150
150% - 200%: $100
200% - 250%: $50

4. The remaining portions of the above grant not used to cover the cost of said tests, may then be applied to college books and supplies, in accordance with administrative guidelines set by the Department of Education.

SECTION III. NATIONAL TESTING ORGANISATION
1. The Department of Education shall create a new assessment provider to offer as an alternative for regions to utilize in high school college admission assessments or for college credits awarded in high school. This new organization shall be formed as a subsidiary under the Department of Education and shall be called the "National Testing Organization (NTO)".

2. The NTO shall produce assessments in accordance with the standards provided in Section IV of this bill.

3. Regions are permitted to opt-out of any assessments imposed on a national level by the NTO in favor of regional assessments or other competing options.

4. The NTO shall have a separate department for each region which shall produce assessments according to the policies of the regional governments, unless said region declines said testing options. The Department of Education may reform said department if and when a region changes its polices in this regards.

5. No universities receiving public funds may reject the tests produced by the NTO for the purposes of college access if they accept tests done by privately owned corporations.

6. The NTO may not charge students at public schools more than $10 per test that the student takes.

7. The NTO shall operate on a budget of $800 million per year, subject to inflation.

8. The NTO shall begin distributing assessments for academic year 2021/2022.

SECTION IV: ASSESSMENT STANDARDS
1. All specified assessment providers must meet the standards described in this section:
 a. All specified assessment providers must incorporate 2 or more of the following modes of assessment into any assessment regime:
 i. Essay-based assessment.
 ii. Research project.
 iii. Mathematical problem-solving.
 iv. Scientific experiment.
 v. Artistic project.
 vi. Work experience and internships.
 vii. Spoken exam.
 b. All specified assessment providers must have clear arrangements for giving special consideration to students facing the following circumstances:
 i. Physical and mental disabilities.
 ii. Learning difficulties.
 iii. Illness or injury.
 iv. Bereavement.
 
2. Schools must have clear arrangements to ensure access to assessments to students facing limiting circumstances.
 a. Eligible concerns:
 i. Physical and mental disabilities.
 ii. Learning disabilities.
 iii. Illness or injury.
 iv. Bereavement.
 b. Responsibilities:
 i. Schools must offer the opportunity to take an assessment at another date for students who are unable to take an assessment where there is a specific date.
 ii. Schools must inform the assessment provider if a student is eligible for special consideration as outlined in Part 1b.
 iii. Schools must respond to and record concerns issued by Students and Guardians regarding a need for special consideration.
 
3. All specified assessment providers must provide the following material free of charge:
 a. Past papers
 b. Sample papers
 c. Model answers
 d. Grading rubric
 e. Information about relevant learning materials available for students

4. A sub-department shall be formed under each regional department which shall be responsible for ensuring that the assessments produced by the NTO meet the standards provided in this section.

5. The sub-departments created by Part 4 are required to publish a report by the 1st of November every year examining the assessments they have produced, the results and feedback received; and explaining measures the organization has taken to ensure the standards covered in this section and any additional policies implemented by the relevant region have been adhered to.
 a. This provision shall take effect on the 1st of January 2022.

SECTION V: INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION
1. The budget of the Department of Education shall be increased by the amount generated in Section VI, Clause 1.
 a. This money shall be used to fund the grants provided in Section 5, Clause 3 and Section 2, Clause 3, and the National Testing Organization established in Section 3.
 b. The remainder of this money shall be distributed to schools.
 i. The Department of Education shall be tasked with calculating a formula which prioritizes schools with large class sizes, low funding per student and low achievement.

2. The price for a textbook or other learning material required to take an assessment shall be capped at $75 per item.

3. Students living below the Atlasian Federal Poverty line shall be eligible for a $200 grant to pay for books and supplies. This shall be phased out increments of $50 for families between 100% of the poverty line and 250% of the poverty line:
100% - 150%: $150
150% - 200%: $100
200% - 250%: $50


SECTION VI. FUNDING
1. A tax of 4% per annum shall be levied on endowments supported by educational institutions who have net assets of more than $500,000 per student.
 a. The threshold of net assets of more than $500,000 shall be subject to inflation.

SECTION VII. ENACTMENT
1. This bill, except for the parts that specify otherwise, shall become enacted immediately after passage

House of Representatives
Passed the House of Representatives 5-2-0-2


As Amended
People's Regional Senate
Passed 3-0-2 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled,


Senate Amended Version
People's House of Representatives
Passed 5-0-0-4

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

Alrighty.

Ayes:
Gracile
Joseph Cao
razze
SevenEleven
Ted Bessell

Not Voting:
Elcaspar
HCP
Muad'dib
Winfield

By a vote of 5-0-0-4, this bill passes.

Apologies for missing the vote.
Thank you once again to the Deputy Speaker for adding me to the discord notification group.

For the record I would Abstain.