Kopp's CSAP Bill Killed

The Senate Education Committee killed Wednesday a bill aimed at helping students who fail the 10th grade CSAP test.

SB 199 would have established a pilot program under which students in ten school districts who fail the sophomore year CSAP exam would take a diagnostic test in 11th grade. That test would be aimed at determining the student's particular deficiencies and would be followed by remedial coursework and then another diagnostic exam at the end of the junior year.

Kopp said during the hearing that state education commissioner Dwight Jones had indicated support for his bill.

"The commissioner appreciated how it would have helped close the achievement gap," Kopp said.

School district participation in the program would have been voluntary.

The bill was the first-ever effort to install a statewide effort to help high school students that fail the CSAP. It would have created a program under which participating higher education institutions could grant college credit to 10th graders who achieve very high scores on the CSAP exam.