Title: An act relating to a system of standards, instruction, and assessments for mathematics and science.

Brief Description: Regarding a system of standards, instruction, and assessments for mathematics and science.

Sponsors: Representatives P. Sullivan, Priest, Haler, Quall, Jarrett, Wallace, Kenney, McDermott, Sells, Santos, Wood and Ormsby.

Brief History:

Education: 2/27/07 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Quall, Chair; Barlow, Vice Chair; Priest, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Haigh, McDermott, Roach, Santos and P. Sullivan.

Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).

Background:

Under Washington's academic achievement system, the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) is responsible for developing a statewide academic assessment system for reading, writing, mathematics, and science, which includes the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). The State Board of Education (SBE) has responsibility for a statewide accountability system for student performance.

Beginning with the class of 2008, most students will be required to meet the state standard on the 10th grade WASL in reading, writing, and mathematics to receive a Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA). A CAA will be required for high school graduation. Students in special education who are not appropriately assessed using the WASL can earn a Certificate of Individual Achievement (CIA), which is also required for graduation in 2008. Beginning in 2010, students will also have to pass the science WASL for a CAA. As currently constructed, the WASL is a comprehensive, standards-based test specially designed to measure student achievement of the Essential Academic Learning Requirements. It includes multiple choice and constructed response questions. There is evidence that the WASL is not well-suited as a diagnostic assessment.

There are 24 states in addition to Washington that plan to or currently require students to pass statewide assessments for high school graduation. Seven of these states use a series of "end-of-course" assessments, where students take the test after completing a course that covers the core content to be assessed by the test. In most of these states, the mathematics end-of-course assessment for high school graduation is Algebra. End-of-course assessments in science tend to be Biology.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

WASL and High School Graduation. Students in the graduating classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010 may graduate from high school without a CAA or CIA if they meet all of the following criteria:

• they have not met the state standard in mathematics on the WASL, an approved alternative assessment, or an alternative for eligible special education students;
• they have met the state standard in the other required content areas;
• they have met all other state and school district graduation requirements; and
• they successfully earn one additional high school mathematics credit after their junior year, designed to increase their proficiency on the WASL. This requirement is two additional credits after their sophomore year for students in the classes of 2009 and 2010.

The requirement that students must also pass the science WASL to earn a CAA is delayed from 2010 to the class of 2013.

Mathematics and Science High School WASL. The SBE must select statewide end-of-course assessments for mathematics and science, which become the new high school WASL in those subjects. The mathematics assessments cover Algebra I and Geometry and are implemented in the 2008-09 school year. The science assessment covers Biology and is implemented in 2009-10. The assessments must be multiple choice and able to be administered online.

The Legislature's intent is that students receive instruction through credited high school mathematics and science courses and are assessed after they complete the course. School districts are responsible for designing and implementing the courses, and course content instruction can be integrated.

For the class of 2011, the Algebra assessment is the mathematics WASL required for purposes of the CAA and high school graduation. For the class of 2012, both the Algebra assessment and Geometry assessment are the mathematics WASL for CAA purposes. For the class of 2013, the Biology assessment is the science WASL for the CAA. The SPI and the SBE make annual status reports to the Legislature each December until 2009 on the implementation of these changes.

Diagnostic Assessments. The SPI must make diagnostic assessments available in elementary and middle school in reading, writing, science and math and must provide funds for districts to administer diagnostic assessments.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The original bill directed the SBE to adopt revised learning standards for high school mathematics and science that were directly aligned with end-of-course assessments and established timelines for that adoption. The SBE was also required to identify three recommended curricula for elementary, middle, and high school in math and science that aligned with the new standards. If funding was provided, school districts that adopted one or more of the curricula after they had been identified would be reimbursed by the SPI. All provisions pertaining to revised standards and curricula are removed in the substitute bill.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed, except for sections 2 through 4 regarding to graduation requirements for the classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010, which contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: None.

Persons Testifying: None.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.