HB 1541

Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS

Education Committee

HB 1541

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Regarding educational data and data systems.

Sponsors: Representatives Hunter, Anderson, Quall, Priest, P. Sullivan, Fromhold, Kenney, Linville, Moeller, Santos and Jarrett.

Brief Summary of Bill

Establishes a timeline for school districts to submit certain data elements pertaining to student courses, teacher qualifications, and teacher assignments to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

Requires the OSPI to establish standards for school data systems and establishes timelines for when districts must use systems that meet the standards.

Requires educator preparation programs to assign a unique identifier when candidates enter the program.

Hearing Date: 2/9/07

Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).

Background:

In 2002, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) began developing the Core Student Record System (CSRS) which assigns each student a unique student identification number and collects demographic and other information to comply with the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The OSPI has continued to develop state data and reporting systems. In the 2006 supplemented budget, the OSPI received a $2.9 million appropriation along with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to begin developing a statewide longitudinal data system.

The long-term goal of this system is that reliable information will be regularly submitted and available for analysis and use by school districts and others regarding student course-taking patterns, student transcripts, teacher qualifications and assignments, and other information. The OSPI has just completed a pilot phase of the new system with selected school districts and one Educational Service District.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) issued a preliminary report in January 2007 on K-12 data. The JLARC recommended improved collection of information about teachers and student courses, including development of a statewide naming convention for courses.

Summary of Bill:

Data Elements. Each school district must collect and electronically transmit certain required data elements to the OSPI.

No later than 2008-09, districts must submit, for each class or course offered in each school: a) the certification number or other unique identifier for the teacher; b) the statewide student identifier for each enrolled student; c) the grade level or grade span; and d) where applicable, the subject matter. Districts must also submit an indicator of whether and by what means each teacher is considered highly-qualified under the NCLB.
No later than 2009-10, districts must submit: a) a course code for each secondary class based on the Classification of Secondary School Courses used by the National Center for Education Statistics, which must also be recorded on student transcripts; and b) class schedules for all secondary students and teachers.
No later than 2010-11, districts must submit: a) human resource data related to attrition and mobility of staff; and b) for applicable students, scores on college placement and entrance exams, and advanced placement exams.

The OSPI must develop definitions and protocols for submission of the required data elements. The required elements are minimums and do not represent the only data that OSPI can require from school districts.

School Data Systems. By 2007-08, the OSPI must develop standards for school data systems. By 2008-09, any student information system used by a school district must meet the standards, and by 2010-11, all school data systems used to collect and submit data to the state must meet the standards.

Certification Data. Each educator certification program approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board must assign a unique identifier at the beginning of a candidate's enrollment in the program. The OSPI is authorized to accept applications for educator certification using an electronic signature.

Training. The OSPI and Educational Service Districts must provide training to school and district personnel regarding data accuracy, troubleshooting, privacy, and ways to use data to inform decision-making. By 2008-09, OSPI must develop recommended guidelines for training, professional development, certification, and compensation of school data quality specialists.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 30, 2007.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.