20 USC § 1232j - Prohibition on federally sponsored testing

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t20/s1232j"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "20 USC § 1232j - Prohibition on federally sponsored testing"
title_number: 20
title_name: "EDUCATION"
section_number: "1232j"
section_name: "Prohibition on federally sponsored testing"
chapter_number: 31
chapter_name: "GENERAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING EDUCATION"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS CONCERNING OPERATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS: GENERAL AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY"
part_number: "4"
part_name: "Records; Privacy; Limitation on Withholding Federal Funds"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 90–247, title IV, § 447, as added Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(f) [title III, § 305(a)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–337, 2681–374; amended Pub. L. 107–110, title X, § 1062(4), Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 2088; Pub. L. 107–279, title IV, § 404(c), Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1985.)"
---


# § 1232j. Prohibition on federally sponsored testing

**(a)** **General prohibition** Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law and except as provided in subsection (b), no funds provided to the Department of Education or to an applicable program, may be used to pilot test, field test, implement, administer or distribute in any way any federally sponsored national test in reading, mathematics, or any other subject that is not specifically and explicitly provided for in authorizing legislation enacted into law.

**(b)** **Exceptions** section 9543(a)(6) of this title

Subsection (a) shall not apply to the Third International Mathematics and Science Study or other international comparative assessments developed under the authority of  and administered to only a representative sample of pupils in the United States and in foreign nations.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 90–247, title IV, § 447, as added Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(f) [title III, § 305(a)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–337, 2681–374; amended Pub. L. 107–110, title X, § 1062(4), Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 2088; Pub. L. 107–279, title IV, § 404(c), Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1985.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior  was classified to  prior to repeal by .

Prior sections 1233 to 1233h comprising a former subchapter IV of this chapter were repealed by , , .

Section 1233, , formerly § 431, as added , , ; renumbered § 441, , , ; , title V, § 507, , , 692, defined terms for purposes of former subchapter IV of this chapter.

Section 1233a, , formerly § 432, as added , , ; renumbered § 442, , , ; amended , (b)(2), title V, § 507, , , 678, 692, authorized Secretary to establish necessary advisory councils.

Section 1233b, , formerly § 433, as added , , ; renumbered § 443, , , ; amended , , ; , title V, § 501(a)(10), , , 2235; , title V, § 507, , , 692, related to statutory advisory councils.

Section 1233c, , formerly § 434, as added , , ; renumbered § 444, , , ; amended , title V, § 507, , , 692, related to compensation and travel expenses of members of advisory councils.

Section 1233d, , formerly § 435, as added , , ; renumbered § 445, , , ; amended , , ; , title V, § 507, , , 692, related to professional, technical, and clerical staff of advisory councils.

Section 1233e, , formerly § 436, as added , , ; renumbered § 446, , , ; amended , title V, § 507, , , 692, related to advisory council meetings.

Section 1233f, , formerly § 437, as added , , ; renumbered § 447, , , ; amended , , ; , title V, § 507, , , 692, related to auditing and review of advisory council activities.

Section 1233g, , formerly § 438, as added , , ; renumbered § 448, , , ; amended S. Res. 4, ; , , ; S. Res. 30, ; , title V, § 507, , , 692; , , , related to reports by Secretary.

Section 1233h, , as added , , , related to application of other laws to advisory councils under former subchapter IV of this chapter.

### Amendments

2002—Subsec. (b).  substituted “” for “”.

made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to .

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2002 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see , set out as an Effective Date note under .