Background: Graduation Requirements. Currently, the minimum high school graduation requirements include two credits in mathematics. Beginning with the class of 2013, the minimum high school graduation requirements will include three credits in mathematics.

Since 2008, students must meet the state standard on the statewide high school assessment in reading, writing, and mathematics to earn a Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) and graduate from high school. Students in special education whose knowledge and skills are not appropriately tested using this assessment can earn a Certificate of Individual Achievement (CIA) and graduate from high school.

Beginning in 2008 through 2012, students who do not meet the state standard on the mathematics assessment may graduate from high school without a CAA or CIA, if the student meets: the state standard on the reading and writing assessment; all other graduation requirements; and earns two mathematics credits after tenth grade.

Beginning in 2013, students must meet the standard on all four high school assessments (reading, writing, mathematics, and science) to earn a CAA, which will be required for graduation. Students in the class of 2013 are currently freshmen in high school.

Mathematics and Science Assessments. In 2008 the Legislature directed the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to replace the statewide comprehensive high school mathematics assessment with two end-of-course assessments (EOCs). One will be for Algebra/Integrated Math I, and the second will be for Geometry/Integrated Math II. There will be subtests for topics unique to each of these four courses which will not be part of the graduation requirements. The mathematics EOCs must be implemented statewide in the 2010-11 school year. As the transition is made, students may use the results of either the comprehensive assessment or the EOCs to obtain a CAA. Beginning with the class of 2015, only results from the EOCs will be used.

The statewide high school science assessment is a comprehensive assessment.

Summary of Bill (Proposed Substitute): Several findings are made regarding the recent changes to the student essential academic learning requirements in mathematics and science, and the adoption of end-of-course assessments in mathematics.

Graduation Requirements. The ability to graduate without a CAA or CIA is extended for students who do not meet the state standard on the high school mathematics assessment, but earn two credits of mathematics after tenth grade for the class of 2012 through the class of 2014.

Beginning with the class of 2015, students will be able to graduate without earning a CAA or CIA if they met: the state standard on the other required assessments; all other graduation requirements; and earn four mathematics credits.

Beginning in 2017, instead of 2013, students must meet the standard on all four high school assessments (reading, writing, mathematics, and science) to earn a CAA, which will be required for graduation.

Working Group. The State Board of Education (SBE) must have a working group examine the changes and challenges that are impacting student learning in mathematics and science. The SBE must report the findings of the working group and develop recommendations for changes, including a plan with a timeline to make significant improvement in student learning in these content areas. The working group must report to the Legislature by November 30, 2010.

Science Assessment. The SPI, with the SBE, must develop EOCs for biology, physical sciences, and earth sciences that also measure the crosscutting principles of science, such as systems, inquiry, and application. Two of the science EOCs must be implemented statewide in the 2011-12 school year, and the third must be implemented in the 2012-13 school year.

A score of three on the AP examinations in biology, chemistry, physics, or environmental sciences is added as an alternative assessment for meeting the state standard on the state science assessment.

By December 1, 2013, the SPI, with the SBE, must submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature on the implementation of the science standards and the science EOCs. The report must include the actions taken to disseminate the standards, the extent teachers and students had access to aligned instructional material, and the results of the assessments. The report must also include the SPI's judgment of whether the science EOCs will be sufficiently valid and reliable, and the whether students in the class of 2017 will have a reasonable opportunity to learn the material in the EOCs. The SPI will make a recommendation whether students in the class of 2017 should be required to meet state standards in science for graduation or whether the requirement should be postponed.