H-1929.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2035
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 55th Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By Representatives Smith and Bush
Read first time 02/18/97. Referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to changing the names of the commission on student learning and the essential academic learning requirements; amending RCW 28A.630.883; reenacting and amending RCW 28A.630.885; repealing 1995 c 335 s 803 (uncodified); and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 28A.630.883 and 1993 c 336 s 201 are each amended to read as follows:
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 28A.630.885 and 28A.300.130.
(1)
"Commission" means the commission on ((student learning)) academic
achievement created in RCW 28A.630.885.
(2)
"Student learning goals" ((mean[s])) means the goals
established in RCW 28A.150.210.
(3)
"((Essential)) Academic ((learning requirements)) achievement
standards" means more specific academic and technical skills and
knowledge, based on the student learning goals, as determined under RCW
28A.630.885(3)(a). ((Essential)) Academic ((learning
requirements)) achievement standards shall not limit the
instructional strategies used by schools or school districts or require the use
of specific curriculum.
(4) "Performance standards" or "standards" means the criteria used to determine if a student has successfully learned the specific knowledge or skill being assessed as determined under RCW 28A.630.885(3)(b). The standards should be set at internationally competitive levels.
(5)
"Assessment system" or "student assessment system" means a
series of assessments used to determine if students have successfully learned
the ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements)) achievement
standards. The assessment system shall be developed under RCW
28A.630.885(3)(b).
(6) "Performance-based education system" means an education system in which a significantly greater emphasis is placed on how well students are learning, and significantly less emphasis is placed on state-level laws and rules that dictate how instruction is to be provided. The performance-based education system does not require that schools use an outcome-based instructional model. Decisions regarding how instruction is provided are to be made, to the greatest extent possible, by schools and school districts, not by the state.
Sec. 2. RCW 28A.630.885 and 1995 c 335 s 505 and 1995 c 209 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1)
The Washington commission on ((student learning)) academic
achievement is hereby established. The primary purposes of the commission
are to identify the knowledge and skills all public school students need to
know and be able to do based on the student learning goals in RCW 28A.150.210,
to develop student assessment and school accountability systems, to review
current school district data reporting requirements and make recommendations on
what data is necessary for the purposes of accountability and meeting state
information needs, and to take other steps necessary to develop a
performance-based education system. The commission shall include three members
of the state board of education, three members appointed by the governor before
July 1, 1992, and five members appointed no later than June 1, 1993, by the
governor elected in the November 1992 election. The governor shall appoint a
chair from the commission members, and fill any vacancies in gubernatorial
appointments that may occur. The state board of education shall fill any
vacancies of state board of education appointments that may occur. In making
the appointments, educators, business leaders, and parents shall be
represented, and nominations from state-wide education, business, and parent
organizations shall be requested. Efforts shall be made to ensure that the
commission reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of the state's K-12 student
population and that the major geographic regions in the state are represented.
Appointees shall be qualified individuals who are supportive of educational
restructuring, who have a positive record of service, and who will devote
sufficient time to the responsibilities of the commission to ensure that the
objectives of the commission are achieved.
(2) The commission shall establish advisory committees. Membership of the advisory committees shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, professionals from the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the state board of education, and other state and local educational practitioners and student assessment specialists.
(3) The commission, with the assistance of the advisory committees, shall:
(a)
Develop ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements)) achievement
standards based on the student learning goals in RCW 28A.150.210. ((Essential))
Academic ((learning requirements)) achievement standards
shall be developed, to the extent possible, for each of the student learning
goals in RCW 28A.150.210. Goals one and two shall be considered primary. ((Essential))
Academic ((learning requirements)) achievement standards
for RCW 28A.150.210(1), goal one, and the mathematics component of RCW
28A.150.210(2), goal two, shall be completed no later than March 1, 1995. ((Essential))
Academic ((learning requirements)) achievement standards
that incorporate the remainder of RCW 28A.150.210 (2), (3), and (4), goals two,
three, and four, shall be completed no later than March 1, 1996. To the
maximum extent possible, the commission shall integrate goal four and the
knowledge and skill areas in the other goals in the development of the ((essential))
academic ((learning requirements)) achievement standards;
(b)(i)
The commission shall present to the state board of education and superintendent
of public instruction a state-wide academic assessment system for use in the
elementary, middle, and high school years designed to determine if each student
has mastered the ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements))
achievement standards identified in (a) of this subsection. The
academic assessment system shall include a variety of assessment methods,
including performance-based measures that are criterion-referenced.
Performance standards for determining if a student has successfully completed
an assessment shall be initially determined by the commission in consultation
with the advisory committees required in subsection (2) of this section.
(ii)
The assessment system shall be designed so that the results under the
assessment system are used by educators as tools to evaluate instructional
practices, and to initiate appropriate educational support for students who
have not mastered the ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements))
achievement standards at the appropriate periods in the student's
educational development.
(iii)
Assessments measuring the ((essential)) academic ((learning
requirements)) achievement standards developed for RCW
28A.150.210(1), goal one, and the mathematics component of RCW 28A.150.210(2),
goal two, shall be initially implemented by the state board of education and
superintendent of public instruction no later than the 1996-97 school year,
unless the legislature takes action to delay or prevent implementation of the
assessment system and ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements))
achievement standards. Assessments measuring the ((essential))
academic ((learning requirements)) achievement standards
developed for RCW 28A.150.210 (2), (3), and (4), goals two, three, and four,
shall be initially implemented by the state board of education and
superintendent of public instruction no later than the 1998-99 school year,
unless the legislature takes action to delay or prevent implementation of the
assessment system and ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements))
achievement standards. To the maximum extent possible, the commission shall
integrate knowledge and skill areas in development of the assessments.
(iv) Before the 2000-2001 school year, participation by school districts in the assessment system shall be optional. School districts that desire to participate before the 2000-2001 school year shall notify the superintendent of public instruction in a manner determined by the superintendent. Beginning in the 2000-2001 school year, all school districts shall be required to participate in the assessment system.
(v)
The state board of education and superintendent of public instruction may
modify the ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements)) achievement
standards and academic assessment system, as needed, in subsequent school
years.
(vi)
The commission shall develop assessments that are directly related to the ((essential))
academic ((learning requirements)) achievement standards, and are
not biased toward persons with different learning styles, racial or ethnic
backgrounds, or on the basis of gender;
(c)
After a determination is made by the state board of education that the high
school assessment system has been implemented and that it is sufficiently
reliable and valid, successful completion of the high school assessment shall
lead to a certificate of mastery. The certificate of mastery shall be obtained
by most students at about the age of sixteen, and is evidence that the student
has successfully mastered the ((essential)) academic ((learning
requirements)) achievement standards during his or her educational
career. The certificate of mastery shall be required for graduation but shall
not be the only requirement for graduation. The commission shall make
recommendations to the state board of education regarding the relationship
between the certificate of mastery and high school graduation requirements.
Upon achieving the certificate of mastery, schools shall provide students with
the opportunity to continue 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, programs
such as work-based learning, school-to-work transition, tech prep,
vocational-technical education, running start, and preparation for technical
college, community college, or university education;
(d) Consider methods to address the unique needs of special education students when developing the assessments in (b) and (c) of this subsection;
(e) Consider methods to address the unique needs of highly capable students when developing the assessments in (b) and (c) of this subsection;
(f)
Develop recommendations on the time, support, and resources, including
technical assistance, needed by schools and school districts to help students
achieve the ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements)) achievement
standards. These recommendations shall include an estimate for the
legislature, superintendent of public instruction, and governor on the expected
cost of implementing the academic assessment system;
(g)
Develop recommendations for consideration by the higher education coordinating
board for adopting college and university entrance requirements for public
school students that are consistent with the ((essential)) academic ((learning
requirements)) achievement standards and the certificate of mastery;
(h)
Review current school district data reporting requirements for the purposes of
accountability and meeting state information needs. The commission ((on
student learning)) shall report recommendations to the joint select
committee on education restructuring by September 15, 1996, on:
(i)
What data is necessary to compare how school districts are performing before
the ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements)) achievement
standards and the assessment system are implemented with how school
districts are performing after the ((essential)) academic ((learning
requirements)) achievement standards and the assessment system are
implemented; and
(ii)
What data is necessary pertaining to school district reports under the
accountability systems developed by the commission ((on student learning))
under this section;
(i) By June 30, 1999, recommend to the legislature, governor, state board of education, and superintendent of public instruction:
(i) A state-wide accountability system to monitor and evaluate accurately and fairly the level of learning occurring in individual schools and school districts. The accountability system shall be designed to recognize the characteristics of the student population of schools and school districts such as gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other factors. The system shall include school-site, school district, and state-level accountability reports;
(ii)
A school assistance program to help schools and school districts that are
having difficulty helping students meet the ((essential)) academic ((learning
requirements)) achievement standards;
(iii)
A system to intervene in schools and school districts in which significant
numbers of students persistently fail to learn the ((essential))
academic ((learning requirements)) achievement standards; and
(iv)
An awards program to provide incentives to school staff to help their students
learn the ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements)) achievement
standards, with each school being assessed individually against its own baseline.
Incentives shall be based on the rate of percentage change of students
achieving the ((essential)) academic ((learning requirements)) achievement
standards. School staff shall determine how the awards will be spent.
It is the intent of the legislature to begin implementation of programs in this subsection (3)(i) on September 1, 2000;
(j) Report annually by December 1st to the legislature, the governor, the superintendent of public instruction, and the state board of education on the progress, findings, and recommendations of the commission; and
(k) Make recommendations to the legislature and take other actions necessary or desirable to help students meet the student learning goals.
(4) The commission shall coordinate its activities with the state board of education and the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
(5) The commission shall seek advice broadly from the public and all interested educational organizations in the conduct of its work, including holding periodic regional public hearings.
(6) The commission shall select an entity to provide staff support and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide administrative oversight and be the fiscal agent for the commission. The commission may direct the office of the superintendent of public instruction to enter into subcontracts, within the commission's resources, with school districts, teachers, higher education faculty, state agencies, business organizations, and other individuals and organizations to assist the commission in its deliberations.
(7) Members of the commission shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
(8) This section expires June 30, 1999.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. 1995 c 335 s 803 (uncodified) is repealed.
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