Committee advances bill letting schools choose paper tests over computers

The Senate Education Committee gave House Bill 2033 a due-pass recommendation after supporters, including principals and assessment advocates, argued that offering districts a paper-and-pencil option would reduce mode-related performance issues for younger students and those with limited keyboarding skills.

Sponsor materials said HB 2033 would allow a school district or charter school to administer the statewide assessment in written form on approval by a majority of the governing board. Supporters told the committee that some students perform better on paper tests and that keyboarding, navigation and screen fatigue can distort academic measurement for younger students and those with learning differences.

Ashley Smith and others described classroom examples in which students were disadvantaged by computer-based administration and urged the committee to adopt the bill. The committee moved HB 2033 with a due-pass recommendation (6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 not voting).

The committee discussion referenced research on "mode effects" and noted the bill would preserve local choice; the sponsor's explanatory materials emphasized it does not change standards or expectations.