FINAL BILL REPORT

                 E2SSB 5825

                          C 373 L 99

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Changing student assessments.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senator McAuliffe; by request of Commission on Student Learning and Superintendent of Public Instruction).

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

House Committee on Education

Background:  The state currently requires the following statewide student assessments.

Reading accuracy and fluency test:  School districts must assess reading accuracy and fluency in the second grade.

Basic skills assessments:  School districts must assess basic skills in the third, eighth, and eleventh grades.  The third grade test assesses reading and math skills.  The eighth grade test assesses reading, math, language, reasoning and thinking skills, and inventories student interests.  The eleventh grade test assesses skills in the broad content areas common to high school, and thinking and reasoning skills.  Prior to the 1998-99 school year, the assessment used was the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS).  The current test is the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS).

Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) at the elementary school level:  The WASL is currently required in reading, writing, communication (listening), and math at the fourth grade.  There are statutory timelines for implementing an elementary level WASL in science.  There are no timelines for implementing the WASL in other content areas at the elementary school level.

WASL at the middle and high school levels:  There are statutory timelines for implementing a middle and high school level WASL in reading, writing, communication (listening), math, science, history, civics, geography, arts, and health and fitness.

Summary:  Changes are made regarding the statewide student assessments.  If student scores indicate that a student needs help, then the school district must evaluate its instructional practices and make appropriate adjustments.

Reading accuracy and fluency test:  It is clarified that the second grade assessment measures oral reading skills.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction may add additional reading passages to be used by school districts.

Basic skills assessments:  The third grade test is retained.  A new sixth grade basic skills assessment in math and reading/language arts is required.  The eighth grade assessment is moved to the ninth grade.  The eleventh grade assessment is repealed.

WASL at the elementary school level:  Timelines are created for implementing the WASL in social studies, health, fitness, and the arts at the elementary level.

WASL at the middle and high school levels:  The implementation of the WASL in social studies, health, and fitness at the middle and high school levels is delayed for two years.  The implementation of the WASL in the arts at the middle and high school levels is delayed for three years.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 31 16

House     87 9

Effective:  May 17, 1999 (Section 605)

          July 25, 1999