Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Education Committee

HB 2337

Brief Description:  Authorizing the academic achievement and accountability commission to set performance improvement goals for certain disaggregated groups of students and dropout goals.

Sponsors:  Representatives Santos, Talcott, Kessler, Schmidt, Berkey, Jackley, Upthegrove, Schual‑Berke, Wood, Kagi and Ogden; by request of Governor Locke, State Board of Education, Washington State School Directors Association, A+ Commission and Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Hearing Date:  1/30/02

Staff:  Susan Morrissey (786‑7111).

Background:

In 1999, the Legislature gave the Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission the authority to adopt, in rule, student performance improvement goals in reading, mathematics, writing and science once a Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) in those subjects is required statewide.

Since the 1997‑98 school year, most of Washington's public school fourth grade and seventh grade students have taken a WASL in reading, writing, and mathematics.  The results over the four years that the assessments have been given indicate that student achievement in those subjects is improving.  The data also indicate that the results for American Indian, Hispanic, and Black/African American students consistently lag behind the results for Asian/Pacific Islander and Caucasian students.  Tenth grade students have taken WASL's in reading, writing, and mathematics since the 1998‑99 school year.  The results of those assessments also indicate an achievement gap between American Indian, Hispanic, and Black/African American students and students of Asian/Pacific Islander or Caucasian descent.

The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended in 2001/02, requires states to test all students in grades 3‑8 in reading and math.  The assessments must be linked to the state's academic standards in those subjects.  States also must develop annual adequate yearly progress (AYP) objectives for all students.  The objectives must be disaggregated by student groups based on poverty, race and ethnicity, disability, and limited English proficiency.  The goal of the AYP objectives is for all students to achieve proficiency in reading and math within 12 years.  The law authorizes rewards for schools that meet the AYP for two consecutive years.  It also describes remedies for schools that don't meet the AYP for two consecutive years.

The federal law also requires states to incorporate into their AYP objectives one other academic indicator.  For secondary schools, it is graduation rates.  For elementary schools, it is an indicator determined by the state.

Summary of Bill:

Student performance improvement goals adopted by the commission must not conflict with the 2002 re‑authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.  The goals may be established for all students, for economically disadvantaged students, and for students from racial and ethnic backgrounds that are disproportionately underachieving academically.  The results of schools and districts that test fewer than ten students in a grade level are not reported to protect the privacy of the students.

The commission may also establish school and school district dropout reduction goals for students in grades seven through 12.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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