BILL REQ. #:  S-0289.1 

Read first time 01/19/2007.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to the certificate of individual achievement for students with disabilities; and amending RCW 28A.155.045.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.155.045 and 2004 c 19 s 104 are each amended to read as follows:
     Beginning with the graduating class of 2008, students served under this chapter, including students who are covered by section 504 of the federal rehabilitation act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794), who are not appropriately assessed by the high school Washington assessment system as defined in RCW 28A.655.061, even with accommodations, may earn a certificate of individual achievement. The certificate may be earned using multiple ways to demonstrate skills and abilities commensurate with their individual education programs. The determination of whether the high school assessment system is appropriate shall be made by the student's individual education program team. For these students, the certificate of individual achievement is required for graduation from a public high school, but need not be the only requirement for graduation. When measures other than the high school assessment system as defined in RCW 28A.655.061 are used, the measures shall be in agreement with the appropriate educational opportunity provided for the student as required by this chapter. The superintendent of public instruction shall develop the guidelines for determining which students should not be required to participate in the high school assessment system and which types of assessments are appropriate to use. The guidelines developed by the superintendent of public instruction shall allow students covered by section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 to participate in the alternative assessment options leading to a certificate of individual achievement if the student has taken the Washington assessment of student learning once.
     When measures other than the high school assessment system as defined in RCW 28A.655.061 are used for high school graduation purposes, the student's high school transcript shall note whether that student has earned a certificate of individual achievement.
     Nothing in this section shall be construed to deny a student the right to participation in the high school assessment system as defined in RCW 28A.655.061, and, upon successfully meeting the high school standard, receipt of the certificate of academic achievement.