Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Education Committee

HB 1293

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 Description: Requiring school districts to disclose information about required assessments.

Sponsors: Representatives Hope, Dunshee, Hurst, Sells, Santos, McCoy, Walsh, Moscoso, Appleton, Bergquist, Springer, Haler, Hunt, Pollet, Fitzgibbon, Lytton, Jinkins, Roberts, Wylie, Liias, Haigh, Ryu and Fey.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Requires school districts to notify parents or guardians of K-12 students with information regarding standardized assessments.

  • Requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to regularly provide school districts with information necessary for the district to notify parents about standardized assessments.

Hearing Date: 2/7/13

Staff: Luke Wickham (786-7146).

Background:

No Child Left Behind and Parent Involvement

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law requires that state education agencies implement parental involvement programs and procedures. Each state education agency must develop a written parent involvement policy. It further indicates that state education agencies must provide assistance to parents in understanding the state's academic achievement standards, state and local assessments, and how to monitor a child's progress and improve his or her achievement.

NCLB requires that each state describe how it will support evidence-based parent involvement practices. This law requires that local school agencies produce individual student interpretive, descriptive, and diagnostic reports including information regarding achievement on academic assessments aligned with state academic achievement standards that are in a language parents can understand. It also provides that itemized score analyses be produced so that parents can interpret and address the specific academic needs of students. Annual state report cards must also be provided in a language that parents can understand.

Summary of Bill:

School districts are required to notify parents or guardians of enrolled K-12 students with information about standardized assessments at the beginning of each year. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction must provide school districts with regularly updated information related to the subjects that the districts must report to parents and guardians.

The information that school districts must provide parents includes:

  1. subject areas and measurements of each assessment;

  2. when the assessments will occur;

  3. the expected time each assessment will take;

  4. whether students will be required to take assessments online or have a paper and pencil option;

  5. which assessments will be required for graduation and the options students will have if they do not pass;

  6. how the assessment results will affect a student's high school and beyond plan, course-taking progression leading to a timely graduation, and program placement or grade level advancement;

  7. when the results will be released to parents or guardians and whether there will be an opportunity for parents and teachers to discuss instructional adjustments;

  8. the process, forms, and time necessary to access individual student tests;

  9. how the assessments and results will advance student learning;

  10. the amount of instructional time spent administering the assessments;

  11. the financial cost to both the district and state of administering the assessments; and

  12. whether the assessments are required by the state, the federal government, or both.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Preliminary fiscal note available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.