Establishes provisions relating to college and career readiness assessments
Summary
HB 3489 revises Missouri law on college and career readiness assessments for high school students. The bill repeals the existing version of section 160.572 and replaces it with new language directing each high school to administer college and career readiness assessments, including a career readiness assessment that leads to a nationally recognized work readiness certificate, in a manner and frequency set by the State Board of Education. The bill specifically allows WorkKeys to serve as the career readiness assessment under this section and authorizes school districts to offer additional college and career readiness assessments at no cost to students using appropriated state funds.
The bill also adds a new section allowing public institutions of higher education to adopt policies that treat certain ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate credentials—Platinum, Gold, or Silver—as transcribable credit toward a postsecondary technical degree, consistent with ACE recommendations. It further requires the State Board of Education to promulgate rules to implement the new provisions, with those rules subject to Missouri’s administrative rule review process.
Impact
HB 3489 would change state education law by shifting emphasis from the prior ACT-based framework toward broader college and career readiness testing, explicitly permitting WorkKeys as a qualifying career readiness assessment. It affects public high schools, school districts, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and public colleges and universities by establishing assessment requirements for high school students and creating an optional pathway for higher education institutions to award technical degree credit for WorkKeys credentials. The bill also preserves state oversight through rulemaking by the State Board of Education and the chapter 536 administrative review process.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed positively as a workforce and postsecondary readiness initiative rather than a controversial policy change. The caption and structure suggest support for aligning high school assessment with career readiness and for recognizing industry-aligned credentials in higher education. No votes or committee testimony are available in the provided record, so there is no documented opposition or amendment debate to indicate stronger sentiment one way or the other.
Contention
The main policy question raised by the bill is whether Missouri should continue emphasizing ACT-style college readiness testing or broaden the system to include WorkKeys and other career readiness assessments. Potential points of contention include the cost and logistics of administering additional assessments, the extent of state versus local control over testing decisions, and whether higher education institutions should be encouraged to award credit for WorkKeys credentials. Because no committee transcript or vote record is provided, no specific legislator, agency, or stakeholder opposition is documented.