5638-S2AMHEDH2850.12SSB 5638H COMM AMDBy Committee on Education Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert thefollowing:Sec. RCW 28A.655.061 and 2004 c 19 s 101 are each amended toread as follows: (1) The high school assessment system shall include but need not belimited to the Washington assessment of student learning, opportunitiesfor a student to retake the content areas of the assessment in whichthe student was not successful, ((and if approved by the legislaturepursuant to subsection (11) of this section,)) one or more objectivealternative assessments for a student to demonstrate achievement ofstate academic standards, and any appeals process. The objectivealternative assessments for each content area shall be ((comparable))equivalent in rigor to the skills and knowledge that the student mustdemonstrate on the Washington assessment of student learning for eachcontent area. (2) Subject to the conditions in this section, a certificate ofacademic achievement shall be obtained by most students at about theage of sixteen, and is evidence that the students have successfully metthe state standard in the content areas included in the certificate.With the exception of students satisfying the provisions of RCW28A.155.045, acquisition of the certificate is required for graduationfrom a public high school but is not the only requirement forgraduation. (3) Beginning with the graduating class of 2008, with the exceptionof students satisfying the provisions of RCW 28A.155.045, a student whomeets the state standards on the reading, writing, and mathematicscontent areas of the high school Washington assessment of studentlearning shall earn a certificate of academic achievement. If astudent does not successfully meet the state standards in one or morecontent areas required for the certificate of academic achievement, 1 then the student may retake the assessment in the content area up tofour times at no cost to the student. If the student successfullymeets the state standards on a retake of the assessment then thestudent shall earn a certificate of academic achievement. Onceobjective alternative assessments are ((authorized)) implementedpursuant to subsection (11) of this section, a student may use theobjective alternative assessments to demonstrate that the studentsuccessfully meets the state standards for that content area if thestudent has ((retaken)) taken the Washington assessment of studentlearning ((at least)) once. If the student successfully meets thestate standards on the objective alternative assessments then thestudent shall earn a certificate of academic achievement. Thestudent's transcript shall note whether the certificate of academicachievement was acquired ((by means of the Washington assessment ofstudent learning or by an alternative assessment)). (4) Beginning with the graduating class of 2010, a student mustmeet the state standards in science in addition to the other contentareas required under subsection (3) of this section on the Washingtonassessment of student learning or the objective alternative assessmentsin order to earn a certificate of academic achievement. (5) The state board of education may not require the acquisition ofthe certificate of academic achievement for students in homebasedinstruction under chapter 28A.200 RCW, for students enrolled in privateschools under chapter 28A.195 RCW, or for students satisfying theprovisions of RCW 28A.155.045. (6) A student may retain and use the highest result from eachsuccessfully completed content area of the high school assessment. Astudent may combine content area results from the Washington assessmentof student learning and any subsequent retakes of the assessment andresults from any alternative assessments to demonstrate achievement ofstate academic standards. (7) Beginning with the graduating class of ((2006, the highestscale score and level achieved in each content area on the high schoolWashington assessment of student learning shall be displayed on astudent's transcript. In addition, beginning with the graduating classof 2008, each student shall receive a scholar's designation on his orher transcript for)) 2008, a student's transcript will note whether thestudent has obtained the certificate of academic achievement or the 2 certificate of individual achievement. In addition, the transcriptwill note each content area in which the student achieves level fourthe first time the student takes that content area assessment. (8) Beginning in 2006, school districts must make available tostudents the following options: (a) To retake the Washington assessment of student learning up tofour times in the content areas in which the student did not meet thestate standards if the student is enrolled in a public school; or (b) To retake the Washington assessment of student learning up tofour times in the content areas in which the student did not meet thestate standards if the student is enrolled in a high school completionprogram at a community or technical college. The superintendent ofpublic instruction and the state board for community and technicalcolleges shall jointly identify means by which students in theseprograms can be assessed. (9) Students who achieve the standard in a content area of the highschool assessment but who wish to improve their results shall pay forretaking the assessment, using a uniform cost determined by thesuperintendent of public instruction. (10) Subject to available funding, the superintendent shall pilotopportunities for retaking the high school assessment beginning in the200405 school year. Beginning no later than September 2006,opportunities to retake the assessment at least twice a year shall beavailable to each school district. (11)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instructionshall develop options for implementing objective alternativeassessments((, which may include an appeals process,)) for students todemonstrate achievement of the state academic standards. The objectivealternative assessments shall be ((comparable)) valid and reliable andequivalent in rigor to the skills and knowledge that the student mustdemonstrate on the Washington assessment of student learning and beobjective in its determination of student achievement of the statestandards. Before any objective alternative assessments are used by astudent to demonstrate that the student has met the state standards ina content area required to obtain a certificate, the ((legislatureshall formally approve the use of any objective alternative assessmentsthrough the omnibus appropriations act or by statute or concurrentresolution)) superintendent of public instruction shall provide to the 3 education committees of the legislature an opportunity to review anyand all options developed and planned for implementation by January15th of the school year before the school year planned forimplementation. (b) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shallpilot two or more alternative assessments in the 200506 school year,with the goal of implementing at least one alternative assessment inthe 200607 school year. The superintendent of public instructionshall direct school districts to make available for student use anyalternative assessments reviewed by the education committees of thelegislature and deemed adequate by the superintendent of publicinstruction for implementation. The implementation shall begin withoptions that are complete and, to the extent funds are appropriated,the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall continueto develop, pilot, and implement additional alternative assessments.In its development and implementation of alternative assessments, theoffice of the superintendent of public instruction shall consult withparents, administrators, practicing classroom teachers includingteachers in career and technical education, practicing principals,employers, tribal representatives from federally recognized tribes ofWashington state and tribes that have signed the Washington statecentennial accord, appropriate agencies, professional organizations,assessment experts, and other interested parties. (12) ((By December 15, 2004, the house of representatives andsenate education committees shall obtain information and conclusionsfrom recognized, independent, national assessment experts regarding thevalidity and reliability of the high school Washington assessment ofstudent learning for making individual student high school graduationdeterminations)) The office of the superintendent of public instructionshall develop appeals processes for use by students no later than the200708 school year. The appeals processes shall be developed withcriteria that can be consistently applied throughout the state. (13) To help assure continued progress in academic achievement asa foundation for high school graduation and to assure that students areon track for high school graduation, each school district shall prepareplans for students as provided in this subsection (13). (a) Student learning plans are required for eighth through twelfthgrade students who ((were not successful)) did not score the level of 4 proficient or above on any or all of the content areas of theWashington assessment for student learning during the previous schoolyear. The plan shall include the courses, competencies, and othersteps needed to be taken by the student to meet state academicstandards and stay on track for graduation. This requirement shall bephased in as follows: (i) Beginning no later than the 200405 school year ninth gradestudents as described in this subsection (13)(a) shall have a plan. (ii) Beginning no later than the 200506 school year and every yearthereafter eighth grade students as described in this subsection(13)(a) shall have a plan. (iii) The parent or guardian shall be notified, preferably througha parent conference, of the student's results on the Washingtonassessment of student learning, actions the school intends to take toimprove the student's skills in any content area in which the studentwas ((unsuccessful)) not proficient, strategies to help them improvetheir student's skills, and the content of the student's plan. (iv) Progress made on the student plan shall be reported to thestudent's parents or guardian at least annually and adjustments to theplan made as necessary. (b) Beginning with the 200506 school year and every yearthereafter, all fifth grade students who ((were not successful)) didnot score the level of proficient or above in one or more of thecontent areas of the fourth grade Washington assessment of studentlearning shall have a student learning plan. (i) The parent or guardian of a student described in thissubsection (13)(b) shall be notified, preferably through a parentconference, of the student's results on the Washington assessment ofstudent learning, actions the school intends to take to improve thestudent's skills in any content area in which the student was((unsuccessful)) not proficient, and provide strategies to help themimprove their student's skills. (ii) Progress made on the student plan shall be reported to thestudent's parents or guardian at least annually and adjustments to theplan made as necessary. (14) Beginning in the 200506 school year and every yearthereafter, each public high school shall notify students and parents,in the primary language of parents to the extent practicable, of the 5 options under the high school assessment system and any appealsprocesses for students to demonstrate achievement of the state academicstandards. (15) Beginning in the 200506 school year and every yearthereafter, each public high school shall notify students and parents,in the primary language of parents to the extent practicable, of thedifferent courses and programs in career and technical education andthose offered through area skill centers that provide students theskills and knowledge in those content areas assessed by the high schoolassessment system and included in the certificate of academicachievement.Sec. RCW 28A.305.220 and 2004 c 19 s 108 are each amended toread as follows: (1) The state board of education shall develop for use by allpublic school districts a standardized high school transcript. Thestate board of education shall establish clear definitions for theterms "credits" and "hours" so that school programs operating on thequarter, semester, or trimester system can be compared. (2) The standardized high school transcript shall include ((thefollowing information: (a) The highest scale score and level achieved in each content areaon the high school Washington assessment of student learning or otherhigh school measures successfully completed by the student as providedby RCW 28A.655.061 and 28A.155.045; (b) All scholar designations as provided by RCW 28A.655.061; (c))) a notation of whether the student has earned a certificate ofindividual achievement or a certificate of academic achievement ((bymeans of the Washington assessment of student learning or by analternative assessment)) and a notation for each content area in whicha student achieved a level four the first time the student took thatcontent area assessment. (3) Transcripts are important documents to students who will applyfor admission to postsecondary institutions of higher education.Transcripts are also important to students who will seek employmentupon or prior to graduation from high school. It is recognized thatstudent transcripts may be the only record available to employers intheir decisionmaking processes regarding prospective employees. The 6 superintendent of public instruction shall require school districts toinform annually all high school students that prospective employers mayrequest to see transcripts and that the prospective employee's decisionto release transcripts can be an important part of the process ofapplying for employment. Correct the title.--- END --- 7