SENATE BILL REPORT

2ESB 5891

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Second Engrossed Bill

Delays the use of the state science assessment as a high school graduation requirement until the graduating class of 2021.
Provides that the assessment used as a graduation requirement must assess the Essential Academic Learning Requirements adopted by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2013.
Applies to the high school graduating class of 2017 and subsequent graduating classes.

Majority Report: Do pass.

Signed by Senators Braun, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Rossi, Vice Chair; Honeyford, Vice Chair, Capital Budget ; Ranker, Ranking Minority Member; Rolfes, Assistant Ranking Minority Member, Operating Budget; Frockt, Assistant Ranking Minority Member, Capital Budget; Bailey, Becker, Billig, Carlyle, Conway, Darneille, Fain, Hasegawa, Keiser, Miloscia, Padden, Pedersen, Rivers, Schoesler, Warnick and Zeiger.

Background: Federal High School Assessment Requirements. Under federal law, states must assess student achievement in English language arts, mathematics, and science at least once in the high school grades.

Washington State High School Assessment Requirements. Since 2008, Washington's minimum high school graduation requirements have included a requirement that students must meet the state standard on the statewide assessments in English language arts, and mathematics. Meeting the state standard on the state science assessment was scheduled to become a graduation requirement for the graduating Class of 2015; however, the Legislature acted in 2015 to delay adding the science assessment as a graduation requirement. Current law requires the graduating Class of 2017 to meet the state standard on the state science assessment. The state science assessment is an end-of-course (EOC) biology assessment. The biology EOC assessment is based on Washington's 2009 science learning standards, also known as the Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs). Washington adopted new science EALRs in 2013. A new comprehensive science assessment of the 2013 EALRs will be administered for the first time in spring 2018.

Other States' High School Assessment Requirements. The Education Commission of the States reports that 15 states require students in the graduating Class of 2017 to pass a state assessment to graduate: Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. Of those 15 states, seven states including Washington, require students to pass a science assessment to graduate; and three states require students to pass one or two assessments on a list of assessments that includes science.

Summary of Second Engrossed Bill: The requirement for students to meet the state standard on the state science assessment to graduate from high school is delayed until the graduating class of 2021. The assessment used as a graduation requirement must assess the EALRs adopted by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2013. The delay applies to students in the high school graduating class of 2017 and subsequent graduating classes.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Proposed Substitute: The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. PRO: This bill is a priority of the State Board of Education. Students should demonstrate broader science mastery than just biology. The biology test is more of a barrier to graduation than the English language arts and math tests combined. There is a timing issue because students who retook the test in December will not get results back until May, which could be problematic. Some students who are eligible to graduate might not be able to because the results are not back. The elimination of the collection of evidence is where the state will save money.

OTHER: This bill does not go far enough in saving time, money, and eliminating barriers to graduation. Other assessments should be delinked as well. We recognize that the state is looking to save money this year for education and the science system is in transition. It is recommended that a science assessment becomes a high school graduation requirement once the new comprehensive science system is in place. Having a link encourages people to take the exam seriously, which helps spotlight gaps.