Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research |
BILL ANALYSIS |
Education Committee |
|
HB 1990
Brief Description: Regarding the communications, social studies, civics, arts, and health and fitness portions of the WASL.
Sponsors: Representatives Quall, Talcott, Kenney, Rockefeller and McDermott; by request of Governor Locke.
Brief Summary of Bill |
• Directs Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to develop classroom-based assessments in listening, social studies, the arts and health and fitness and makes the administration of those assessments voluntary rather than mandatory. |
• Creates a high school civics assessment that must be administered to public school students beginning in the 2007-08 school year. |
Hearing Date: 2/27/03
Staff: Susan Morrissey (786-7111).
Background:
WASL - Timelines
By law, Washington's public school students must take standardized assessments in a number of different content areas at various points in the students' educational careers. During elementary, middle school, and high school, the students take the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) to determine whether they are meeting the state's learning standards, also called the essential academic learning requirements (EALRs). for students at those grade levels. Assessments in reading, writing, mathematics, and communications (listening) have already been developed and administered for students in the fourth, seventh and tenth grades. In the future, students in elementary, middle school, and high school will also be assessed in science, social studies, the arts, and health and fitness.
The timelines for the voluntary and required administration of the WASL is determined by law. The grade levels at which students will be assessed are determined by rule. The WASL is used to ascertain whether the schools that the students attend are helping the students to meet the EALRs. At some point in the future, the assessments will also be used to determine whether students are allowed to graduate from a public high school.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) inherited from the Commission on Student Learning the responsibility for the development, revision, and administration of the WASL.
Summary of Bill:
The administration of the WASL in communications (listening), social studies, the arts, and health and fitness become voluntary instead of mandatory. these assessments will be developed by the OSPI as class-room based assessments and offered to school districts for optional use.
A new WASL in civics becomes voluntary for high school students in 2004-2005 and mandatory in 2007-2008.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on 2/19/03.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.