AN
ACT Relating to modifying the timelines for development and implementation of
the student assessment system; reenacting and amending RCW 28A.630.885;
repealing 1995 c 335 s 803 (uncodified); and declaring an emergency.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. 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 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 based on the student learning
goals in RCW 28A.150.210. Essential academic learning requirements 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 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 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;
(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 identified in (a) of
this subsection. The academic assessment system shall include a variety of
assessment methods, including criterion-referenced and 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 at the
appropriate periods in the student's educational development.
(iii)
Assessments measuring the essential academic learning requirements developed
for RCW 28A.150.210(1)((, goal one,)) and the mathematics component of
RCW 28A.150.210(2)((, goal two,)) referred to in this section as
reading, writing, communications, and mathematics shall be ((initially
implemented by the state board of education and superintendent of public
instruction no later than the 1996-97)) developed and initially
implemented by the commission before transferring the assessment system to the
superintendent of public instruction on June 30, 1999. The elementary
assessments for reading, writing, communications, and mathematics shall be
available for use by school districts no later than the 1996-97 school year,
the middle school assessment no later than the 1997-98 school year, and the
high school assessment 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. Assessments measuring the
essential academic learning requirements developed for the science component
of 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)) at the middle school and high
school levels shall be available for use by districts 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.
The
completed assessments and assessments still in development shall be transferred
to the superintendent of public instruction by June 30, 1999, unless the
legislature takes action to delay implementation of the assessment system and
essential academic learning requirements. The superintendent shall continue
the development of assessments on the following schedule: The history, civics,
and geography assessments at the middle and high school levels shall be
available for use by districts no later than 2000-01 school year; the arts
assessment for middle and high school levels shall be available for use by
districts no later than 2000-01 school year; and the health and fitness
assessments for middle and high school levels shall be available no later than
the 2001-02 school year. The elementary science assessment shall be available
for use by districts not later than the 2001-02 school year. The commission or
the superintendent, as applicable, shall upon request, provide opportunities
for the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate to
review the assessments and proposed modifications to the essential academic
learning requirements before the modifications are adopted. By December 15,
1998, the commission on student learning shall recommend to the appropriate
committees of the legislature a revised timeline for implementing these
assessments and when the school districts should be required to participate.
All school districts shall be required to participate in the history, civics, geography,
arts, health, fitness, and elementary science assessments in the third year
after the assessments are available to school districts.
To
the maximum extent possible, the commission shall integrate knowledge and skill
areas in development of the assessments.
(iv)
Assessments for goals three and four of RCW 28A.150.210 shall be integrated
in the essential academic learning requirements and assessments for goals one
and two. Before the 1997-98 school year, the elementary assessment system in
reading, writing, communications, and mathematics shall be optional. School
districts that desire to participate before the 1997-98 school year shall
notify the commission on student learning in a manner determined by the
commission. Beginning in the 1997-98 school year, school districts shall be
required to participate in the elementary assessment system for reading,
writing, communications, and mathematics. Before the 2000-((2001)) 01
school year, participation by school districts in the middle school and high
school assessment system for reading, writing, communications,
mathematics, and science shall be optional. School districts that desire
to participate before the ((2000-2001)) 1998-99 school year shall
notify the ((superintendent of public instruction)) commission on
student learning in a manner determined by the ((superintendent)) commission
on student learning. Schools that desire to participate after the 1998-99
school year, shall notify the superintendent of public instruction in a manner
determined by the superintendent. Beginning in the 2000-((2001)) 01
school year, all school districts shall be required to participate in the
assessment system for reading, writing, communications, mathematics, and
science.
(v)
The ((state board of education and superintendent of public instruction))
commission on student learning may modify the essential academic
learning requirements and ((academic assessment system)) the
assessments for reading, writing, communications, mathematics, and science,
as needed, ((in subsequent school years)) before June 30, 1999. The
commission shall, upon request, provide opportunities for the education
committees of the house of representatives and the senate to review the
assessments and proposed modifications to the essential academic learning
requirements before the modifications are adopted.
(vi)
The commission shall develop assessments that are directly related to the
essential academic learning requirements, 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 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. 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 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 and the assessment system are
implemented with how school districts are performing after the essential
academic learning requirements 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 at elementary, middle, and high schools the level of learning
occurring in individual schools and school districts with regard to the
goals included in RCW 28A.150.210 (1) through (4). ((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 accountability system
must assess each school individually against its own baseline, schools with
similar characteristics, and schools state-wide. 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 as measured by performance on the elementary, middle school,
and high school assessments;
(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 or meet the standards established for the elementary, middle
school, and high school assessments; and
(iv)
An awards program to provide incentives to school staff to help their students
learn the essential academic learning requirements, with each school being
assessed individually against its own baseline, schools with similar
characteristics, and the state-wide average. Incentives shall be based on
the rate of percentage change of students achieving the essential academic
learning requirements and progress on meeting the state-wide average.
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;))
The
commission shall make recommendations regarding a state-wide accountability
system for reading in grades kindergarten through four by November 1, 1997.
Recommendations for an accountability system in the other subject areas and grade
levels shall be made no later than June 30, 1999;
(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)(a)
By September 30, 1997, the commission on student learning, the state board of
education, and the superintendent of public instruction shall jointly present
recommendations to the education committees of the house of representatives and
the senate regarding the high school assessments, the certificate of mastery,
and high school graduation requirements.
In
preparing recommendations, the commission on student learning shall convene an
ad hoc working group to address questions, including:
(i)
What type of document shall be used to identify student performance and
achievement and how will the document be described?
(ii)
Should the students be required to pass the high school assessments in all
skill and content areas, or only in select skill and content areas, to
graduate?
(iii)
How will the criteria for establishing the standards for passing scores on the
assessments be determined?
(iv)
What timeline should be used in phasing-in the assessments as a graduation
requirement?
(v)
What options may be used in demonstrating how the results of the assessments
will be displayed in a way that is meaningful to students, parents,
institutions of higher education, and potential employers?
(vi)
Are there other or additional methods by which the assessments could be used to
identify achievement such as endorsements, standards of proficiency, merit
badges, or levels of achievement?
(vii)
Should the assessments and certificate of mastery be used to satisfy college or
university entrance criteria for public school students? If yes, how should
these methods be phased-in?
(b)
The ad hoc working group shall report its recommendations to the commission on
student learning, the state board of education, and the superintendent of
public instruction by June 15, 1997. The commission shall report the ad hoc
working group's recommendations to the education committees of the house of
representatives and senate by July 15, 1997. Final recommendations of the
commission on student learning, the state board of education, and the
superintendent of public instruction shall be presented to the education
committees of the house of representatives and the senate by September 30,
1997.
(9)
The Washington commission on student learning shall expire on June 30, 1999.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. 1995
c 335 s 803 (uncodified) is repealed.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 3. This
act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or
safety, or support of the state government and its existing public
institutions, and takes effect immediately.
