Rep. Reilly offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 430.

A resolution to urge the United States Secretary of Education and the Congress of the United States to amend the Every Student Succeeds Act to remove the assessment participation requirement in the upcoming reauthorization.

Whereas, The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires schools to have at least 95 percent participation in standardized statewide assessments and penalizes schools if fewer students participate; and

Whereas, Michigan public schools and public school academies may find their funding revoked, their reputation damaged, their students and teachers demoralized, and their administrators faced with new challenges if they are penalized under this requirement; and

Whereas, Michigan parents have the right to opt out of statewide assessments and this right should be honored and protected; and

Whereas, Students are unduly pressured by schools to take the state assessments to avoid penalties; and

Whereas, It is plainly unreasonable to punish students, parents, teachers, and schools for the decision of 5 percent of the parents over which the school has no control; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we hereby urge Congress to remove the statewide assessment participation requirement in subsection (c) paragraph (4)(E) of the ESSA (20 USC 6311), which can have negative consequences on federal funding of our schools; and be it further

            Resolved, That we hereby urge the Secretary of Education to passionately advocate in support of this resolution; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the United States Secretary of Education, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.