INSTRUCTIONALLY SUPPORTIVE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.

(a) To ensure school accountability for student achievement that achieves the goals provided under Section 4.002, the agency shall create and implement an instructionally supportive statewide assessment program that:

(1) provides for progress monitoring;

(2) is balanced, innovative, and streamlined; and

(3) is based on essential knowledge and skills adopted by the State Board of Education under Section 28.002.

(b) The primary objective of an instructionally supportive assessment program created and implemented under this section is to benefit the students of this state.

(c) The agency shall consider the importance of maintaining stability in the instructionally supportive assessment program when modifying the program.

(d) It is the policy of this state that the instructionally supportive assessment program be designed to:

(1) provide information regarding student academic achievement and learning progress to:

(A) public schools for the purpose of improving student instruction;

(B) students, parents, and teachers for the purpose of guiding learning objectives; and

(C) education researchers for the purpose of comparing student academic achievement and learning progress data at the national and statewide levels;

(2) evaluate the achievement level and learning progress of each assessed student in reading language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies;

(3) provide information to the agency for the purpose of making decisions regarding public school accountability, campus recognition, and the improvement of public school operations and management;

(4) identify the educational strengths and needs of individual students and the readiness of those students to be promoted to the next grade level or to graduate from high school;

(5) assess whether educational goals and curricular standards are being met at the campus, district, and state levels;

(6) provide information to help evaluate and develop educational programs and policies; and

(7) provide instructional staff with immediate, actionable, and useful information regarding student achievement of standards and benchmarks that may be used to improve the staff's delivery of student instruction.

(e) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school shall administer assessment instruments as required under this chapter in accordance with the instructionally supportive assessment program.

(f) The instructionally supportive assessment program may be referred to as the Student Success Tool.