In preliminary provisions, providing for innovative assessment and accountability demonstration authority.
HB2039 would amend the Pennsylvania Public School Code of 1949 to direct the Department of Education to develop an innovative state assessment and accountability system as a pilot program. The proposal is aimed at measuring student achievement and growth through alternative assessment models, rather than relying solely on traditional standardized testing. The bill contemplates assessment approaches such as competency-based, instructionally embedded, interim, cumulative year-end, and performance-based assessments, including computer-adaptive formats, so long as they satisfy federal Every Student Succeeds Act requirements.
The bill also sets out a process for public input and federal approval. The Department of Education would be required to hold at least four public hearings in different regions of the Commonwealth, publish a final plan for public comment, notify its intent to apply for federal demonstration authority, and submit that application to the U.S. Secretary of Education by May 1, 2026. The bill takes effect immediately and is framed as a demonstration authority request under ESSA, meaning it is designed to test an alternative assessment system within federal parameters rather than fully replace existing statewide accountability rules on its own.
If enacted, HB2039 would add a new section to the Public School Code creating a formal pathway for Pennsylvania to seek federal innovative assessment and accountability demonstration authority. It would require the Department of Education to design, solicit feedback on, and apply for a pilot assessment system that could change how student proficiency and growth are measured statewide. The bill would primarily affect the Department of Education, school districts, educators, students, and parents by opening the door to alternative assessment models and potentially different accountability measures tied to student mastery and individualized learning needs.
No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears policy-oriented and exploratory, with an emphasis on stakeholder engagement, public hearings, and federal compliance. The overall tone is reform-minded and procedural rather than confrontational, suggesting the bill is intended to study and pilot assessment innovation rather than impose an immediate statewide overhaul.
The likely points of contention are the shift away from traditional standardized testing, the feasibility of implementing a new assessment system by the stated deadlines, and whether Pennsylvania should seek federal demonstration authority at all. Supporters would likely emphasize flexibility, competency-based learning, and more accurate measures of student growth, while critics may worry about comparability across districts, administrative complexity, costs, and the risk of weakening accountability. Because no discussion or vote history is included, no specific legislators or stakeholder groups are identified as taking those positions in the available record.