SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SHB 2848

                    As of February 27, 1998

 

Title:  An act relating to the assessment of student learning.

 

Brief Description:  Defining the state's science and tenth grade assessment.

 

Sponsors:  House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Talcott, B. Thomas, Johnson, L. Thomas, Robertson, Lambert, Carrell, Bush, Backlund, Pennington, Lisk, McDonald, Zellinsky, Mielke, Radcliff, D. Schmidt, Cairnes, Sterk, D. Sommers, Sheahan, Carlson, Chandler, Smith, Boldt and Thompson).

 

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  2/27/98.

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

 

Staff:  Susan Mielke (786-7422)

 

Background:  Education reform legislation passed in 1992 (SSB 5953) and 1993 (ESHB 1209) created a process for identifying and assessing what students should know and be able to do, including most of the following:

 

Science Assessments:  The middle and high school science assessments developed by the Commission on Student Learning (CSL) must be available no later than the 1998-99 school year.  Those science assessments are mandatory beginning in the 2000-01 school year.

 

Certificate of Mastery (COM):  Once the State Board of Education (SBE) determines that the high school assessment  system developed by the CSL is reliable and valid, successful completion of the assessments will lead to a COM.  It is anticipated that most students will obtain the COM around the age of 16.  Achievement of a COM is a high school graduation requirement, but not the only requirement.

 

Educational Pathways: Schools must provide students who have achieved a COM an opportunity to pursue career and educational objectives through educational pathways that emphasize integration of academic and vocational education.  Educational pathways may include, but are not limited to, the following programs:  work-based learning, school-to-work transition, tech prep, vocational-technical education, Running Start, and preparation for technical college, community college, or university education.

 

Retaking High School Assessments:  There are no provisions addressing whether a student may retake the high school assessments developed by the CSL.

 

High School Transcript:  SBE rules designate the information to be contained in a standardized high school transcript, including:

 

C Student information -- Name, address, birth date, and gender. 

C School information -- Names, addresses, and dates of entrance and exit. 

C Academic information -- Course titles and grades received.

 

High School Graduation Requirements:  The minimum high school graduation requirements are established by the SBE.  Local school districts may adopt additional courses, credits or test requirements.

 

The COM Ad Hoc Working Group:  In 1997, the Legislature directed the CSL to convene an ad hoc working group to make recommendations regarding the high school assessments, the COM, and high school graduation requirements.  The working group presented its recom­mendations to CSL, SBE and the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) in June 1997.  CSL, SBE, and SPI presented a final report and recommendations to the Senate and House education committees on September 30, 1997.

 

Private and Home-Schooled Students:  Approved private school and home schooled students do not have to meet the COM requirements.

 

Summary of Bill:  The timeline for the availability and mandated use of the middle and high school science assessments are modified.  The COM is renamed the Certificate of Academic Proficiency (CAP) and a timeline is provided to implement the CAP.  Approved private school and home school students do not have to meet the CAP requirements.  Educational pathway requirements are clarified.  Provisions for retaking high school assessments are provided.  The information provided on a high school transcript is statutorily expanded.  Examples of possible local school district graduation requirements are provided.  Obsolete language is deleted.  The Certificate of Academic Proficiency Advisory Committee is created.

 

Science Assessments:  The required availability of the middle and high school science assess­ments is delayed one year, but the assessments must be available for the 1999-2000 school year.  Those assessments would be mandatory the third year after the assessments are available.

 

Certificate of Mastery (COM):  The COM is renamed the Certificate of Academic Proficiency (CAP) and a timeline is provided to implement the CAP.  The term "mastery" as used to describe the certificate is changed to "learned."  The other requirements for the COM apply to the CAP.  The SBE must determine whether the high school assessment system is reliable and valid by September 1, 2002.  If the assessment system is found to be reliable and valid, then beginning with the high school graduating class of 2006, students who successfully complete the high school assessments in reading, writing, communications-listening, and mathematics shall earn a CAP.  Students graduating high school in 2008, and thereafter, must successfully complete those initial high school assessments and science to earn a CAP. 

 

Educational Pathways:  Middle, junior high, and high schools using educational pathways must ensure access to courses and instruction needed to meet entrance requirements at baccalaureate institutions.  Prior to entering an educational pathway, the school must inform the student's parent of the pathway chosen by the student, the opportunities available to the student through the pathway, and the career objectives the student will be exposed to while pursuing the pathway.  If a student or a student's parent is not satisfied with the opportunities available through a selected pathway, the student must be permitted to transfer to any other pathway provided in the school.  Pathways may not retain students in high school beyond the date that the students are eligible to graduate, even if they transfer between pathways.

 

Retaking High School Assessments: If a student fails to meet the high school assessment standard in any CAP required content area, the student may retake the assessment at no cost to the student.  If a student meets the assessment standard in any content area, but wants to retake the assessment to try to improve the student's score, then the student may pay to retake the assessment.  The cost to the student to retake the assessment may not exceed the cost of administering the assessment.

 

High School Transcript:  The high school transcript must include whether the student met the CAP requirements, the student's highest high school assessment scores by content area, and the dates the high school assessments were taken by the student.

 

High School Graduation Requirements:  Additional local high school graduation requirements may include, but are not limited to, community service, senior projects, student portfolios, and classroom-based assessments.

 

The COM Ad Hoc Working Group:  Obsolete language establishing and directing the COM Ad Hoc Working Group is deleted.

 

Certificate of Academic Proficiency Advisory Committee:  By September 1, 1999, the SPI must convene an advisory committee on the CAP.  The committee consists of no more than 15 people and must contain certain representation.  The committee may examine issues related to the certificate of academic proficiency, including but not limited to, the required content areas, endorsement policies, standards, and implementation.  Additionally, the committee will conduct specified pilot studies to improve, and possibly expand the CAP.  The committee  reports to the SBE.  Beginning no later than September 1, 2000, the SBE reports to the House and Senate Education Committees annually on the findings and recommendations of the committee.  Members of the advisory committee may receive statutorily limited per diem and mileage allowances.

 

Private and Home-Schooled Students:  Approved private school and home schooled students do not have to meet the CAP requirements.  Washington State's public colleges and universities may not require a CAP as an admission requirement for approved private school or home school students.

 

Appropriation:  None.

 

Fiscal Note:  Available.

 

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