Committee advances teacher-prep assessment bill amid opposition over costs and prior Praxis experience

Senate Study Bill 3,048 would set minimum statewide training expectations for teacher candidates in English-language instruction and special education, require teacher-preparation programs to administer a state-selected end-of-program assessment, and mandate specific clinical-experience hours. Senator Evans presented the bill and said the requirements would begin July 1, 2027.

Several senators strongly opposed reintroducing a Praxis-like assessment. Senator Donahue said the Praxis had been removed two years prior because it did not predict teacher effectiveness; requiring a new end-of-program assessment risks reimposing an invalid tool and would create an unfunded mandate, with committee members estimating a $150–$200 per-candidate cost for roughly 3,900 candidates. Donahue and Senator Zimmer said the Department of Education should pay for any new testing rather than shifting costs to students.

Senator Evans said the Department intends to use assessment formatively to drive program improvement rather than as a punitive licensure gate, and emphasized clinical experience requirements and focused support hours. The bill was moved and advanced to the calendar after short-form voting with recorded opposition from several senators.

Committee debate flagged concerns about cost allocation, the validity of using a single assessment for program evaluation, and the need for clarity on whether the test would be the same as or distinct from former Praxis exams. Senators requested fiscal details and potential appropriations if the provision remains in the bill.