Title: An act relating to the reporting requirements for the Washington assessment of student learning.

Brief Description: Requiring aggregate reporting of results of the Washington assessment of student learning.

Sponsors: Senators Jacobsen and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 1/21/08.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION

Staff: Susan Mielke (786-7422)

Background: Current state law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to report to schools, school districts, and the Legislature the results of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). The reports must include results by school and school districts showing the percentage of students meeting the standards, the percentage of students performing at each of the four performance levels defined by the State Board of Education (Level 1 -- Below Basic; Level 2 -- Basic; Level 3 -- Proficient; and Level 4 -- Advanced) and a learning improvement index that shows changes in student performance within the four levels. The reports must contain data regarding different characteristics of schools: poverty levels, English as a second language, dropout rates, attendance, special education, and student mobility.

Additionally, every family of a student who takes the WASL will receive a WASL Score Report. Each school or district decides how families will receive this report, either by mail or parent/teacher conference.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), requires each state to provide the results of the state test dis-aggregated by:
   1) The five major race/ethnic groups (basic, proficient, advanced);
   2) Gender (basic, proficient, advanced);
   3) Disability status (basic, proficient, advanced);
   4) English proficiency (basic, proficient, advanced);
   5) Migrant (basic, proficient, advanced);
   6) Economically disadvantaged (basic, proficient, advanced).

This dis-aggregation is not required when the number of students in a category is insufficient to yield statistically reliable information or the results would reveal personally identifiable information about the student.

Summary of Bill: The results of the WASL must be reported in aggregation to the level of the individual school, which may be further subdivided by grade and the current school characteristics used for reporting. Within reason, the assessment results must not be attributable to an individual student.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 15, 2008.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: We seek to delink the WASL scores from the individual child. Schools are remediating at the individual child level and never addressing or understanding the systemic issues. We need to remediate the system. Quality control should not be on the consumer, in this case the students. We do not have to abandon the WASL under this bill but we need to report differently.

CON: I agree with the intent section of the bill but the aggregate reporting restraint would prohibit teachers from having access to individual score reports of students. It is unclear whether the state could even share individual student scores with the parent. It will be ironic if the parent has this information but the teacher does not. This is in conflict with the federal requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires states to produce individual student reports to allow parents, principals, and teachers to address the specific academic needs of students.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Ian King, parent; Kim Howard, Parent Teacher Association.

CON: Joe Willhoft, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.