HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1249

                      As Passed House:

                        March 8, 1995

Title:  An act relating to changing timelines for essential academic learning requirement assessments.

Brief Description:  Extending the time for developing essential academic learning requirement Goal 2 assessments.

Sponsors:  Representatives Brumsickle and Cole; by request of Office of Financial Management and Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Education:  1/31/95, 2/7/95 [DP];

Appropriations:  2/27/95, 3/1/95 [DP].

Floor Activity:

     Passed House, 3/8/95, 98-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 16 members:  Representatives Brumsickle, Chairman; Elliot, Vice Chairman; Johnson, Vice Chairman; Cole, Ranking Minority Member; Poulsen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Clements; Dickerson; G. Fisher; Hatfield; McMahan; Quall; Radcliff; Smith; Talcott; B. Thomas and Veloria.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 3 members:  Representatives Fuhrman; Pelesky and Thompson.

Staff:  Robert Butts (786-7111).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 27 members:  Representatives Silver, Chairman; Huff, Vice Chairman; Pelesky, Vice Chairman; Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Valle, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Beeksma; Brumsickle; Carlson; Chappell; Cooke; Crouse; G. Fisher; Foreman; Hargrove; Hickel; Jacobsen; Lambert; Lisk; McMorris; Poulsen; Reams; Rust; Sehlin; Sheahan; Talcott; Thibaudeau and Wolfe.

Staff:  Jack Daray (786-7178).

Background:  The Commission on Student Learning, which was created by the Legislature in 1992, is directed to identify "essential academic learning requirements" for students in Washington's public schools, and to develop an assessment system for determining if students have learned the essential learnings.  The essential learnings and assessments are to be based on four state goals that were adopted in ESHB 1209 by the 1993 Legislature.

Current law requires the assessment system for reading, writing, communication, and math (Goal #1 and math) to be ready for voluntary implementation by school districts in the 1996-97 school year.  Phase 2 of the assessment system, which includes the sciences, civics and history, geography, arts, health and fitness, analytical thinking, and career-related knowledge (Goals #2, #3, and #4), is to be ready for voluntary implementation in the 1997-98 school year.  All school districts are required to participate in the assessment system in the 2000-2001 school year.

In order to reduce expenditures in the 1995-97 biennium and level-out the workload requirements of the Commission on Student Learning, it has been suggested that the implementation date for Phase 2 of the assessment system be delayed one year.

Summary of Bill:  The timeline of the Commission on Student Learning for developing Phase 2 of the assessment system is modified.  The implementation date for the assessment system measuring sciences, civics and history, geography, arts, health and fitness, analytical thinking, and career knowledge is postponed from the 1997-98 school year to the 1998-1999 school year.

The authority for the Commission on Student Learning is extended one year from September 1, 1998, to September 1, 1999.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  (Education)  This legislation will save $4.5 million this biennium without impacting the required implementation of the student assessment system.  It will also provide extra time to work with and train staff.

(Appropriations)  None.

Testimony Against:  (Education)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.

Testified:  (Education)  Terry Bergeson, Commission on Student Learning; Walter Ball, Association of Washington School Principals; and Mike Bigelow, Office of Financial Management.

(Appropriations)  None.