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Required Reporting, Senate Bill 1843, Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

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May 16, 2018

TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:

Subject: Required Reporting, Senate Bill 1843, Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

This correspondence is to provide instructions for Senate Bill (SB) 1843 (85th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2017) reporting requirements.

SB 1843 requires that each school year each school district and open-enrollment charter school provide students in Grades 10 through 12 an opportunity to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test and consult with a military recruiter. School districts and open-enrollment charter schools must:

    • Schedule the ASVAB during normal school hours; and
    • Schedule the ASVAB at a time that limits conflicts with extracurricular activities.

Additional information regarding the ASVAB may be found in the To The Administrator Addressed letter released November 30, 2017. 

A school district or open enrollment charter school may elect not to provide the ASVAB test, if the school district or open-enrollment charter school provides an alternative test that:

    • assesses a student's aptitude for success in a career field other than a career field that requires postsecondary education;
    • is free to administer;
    • requires minimal training and support by school district or open-enrollment charter school faculty and staff to administer the test; and
    • provides the student with a professional interpretation of the test results that allows the student to:
      • explore occupations that are consistent with the student's interests and skills; and
      • develop strategies to attain the student's career goals.

If a school district or open-enrollment charter school entered into a contract prior to September 1, 2017, under which a vocational aptitude test does not comply with the requirements for an alternative test outlined above, then the school district, open-enrollment charter school, or high school may elect not to provide the ASVAB for the term of the contract. On the expiration of the contract term, the requirements outlined in this letter become applicable to the school district, open-enrollment charter school, or high school.

SB 1843 requires that no later than August 1, 2018, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) publish a list of school districts and open-enrollment charter schools that elected not to provide the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test during the previous school year.

To fulfill the requirements of SB 1843, school districts and open-enrollment charter schools are required to report ASVAB administration for the 2017-2018 school year. Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year, TEA will collect this through a new indicator in PEIMS submission 1 (fall snapshot).

This link provides access to the report. The required reporting must be completed by June 15, 2018.

Additional information and resources regarding the ASVAB may be found at www.tea.texas.gov/ASVAB. Please contact ASVAB@tea.texas.gov with questions or for additional assistance.

Sincerely,

Division Director
College, Career, and Military Preparation

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