BILL REQ. #:  H-4991.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/03/06.   

     AN ACT Relating to local control of student assessments in grades three, five, six, and eight to meet federal requirements for Washington's academic assessment system; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) Before the beginning of the 2006-07 school year, the superintendent of public instruction shall request flexibility from the United States department of education to conduct a pilot project with a limited number of local school districts regarding the academic assessments administered for the purpose of complying with P.L. 107-110, the no child left behind act of 2001. The superintendent shall request the flexibility to pilot, with no more than six school districts and for a specified length of time, an assessment other than the Washington assessment of student learning in grades three, five, six, and eight for reading and mathematics. The purpose of the pilot project is to determine whether a different assessment provides greater local control and flexibility while maintaining the testing standards and continuity of student performance measurement expected by the federal law.
     (2) In selecting the assessment for the pilot project and developing the request for flexibility, the superintendent of public instruction shall work with local school directors, district and school administrators, teachers, principals, other school staff, and parents. All districts in the pilot project shall use the same assessment.
     (3) School districts in the pilot project shall be of varying sizes and geographic locations, including urban, suburban, and rural areas, and shall enroll ethnically and economically diverse student populations.
     (4) If the request for flexibility is granted, the superintendent shall revise the Washington state accountability plan required under section 1111 of P.L. 107-110 to incorporate the pilot project into the plan, and school districts participating in the pilot project shall not be required to administer the Washington assessment of student learning in grades three, five, six, and eight in reading and mathematics during the pilot project. At the end of the pilot project, the superintendent shall evaluate whether the assessment under the pilot project can be used on a statewide basis to comply with P.L. 107-110 and shall forward findings and recommendations to the legislature and to the United States department of education.