BILL REQ. #:  H-2214.1 

READ FIRST TIME 03/07/05.   

     AN ACT Relating to alternative assessments; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.655 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28A.655 RCW to read as follows:
     By January 15, 2006, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, as part of any feasibility study of options for the alternative assessments under RCW 28A.655.061(11), shall review the course requirements and assessments in one or more representative career and technical programs that lead to industry certification to determine the alignment of the courses and assessments with the essential academic learning requirements measured in the high school Washington assessment of student learning. The purpose of the review is to determine if the certifications can be used as evidence that a student has met the standards measured by the Washington assessment of student learning. The review also shall evaluate the statewide availability and use of the certifications. As part of the review, the superintendent shall make a determination of the extent to which the certifications are comparable in rigor to the reading, writing, mathematics, or science Washington assessments of student learning, and whether they should be used as alternative assessments. The superintendent also shall develop a process for reviewing additional industry certification programs after the initial review.