1410-S AMH DAMM MCLA 683

SHB 1410 - H AMD 787

By Representative Dammeier

WITHDRAWN 05/25/2011

    On page 1, line 5, after "Sec. 1." insert the following:

    "(1) The legislature continues to support end-of-course assessments as a fair and practical way to measure students' knowledge and skills in high school science, but the legislature also recognizes that there are important scientific concepts, principles, and content that are not able to be captured in a single course or a single assessment.  The legislature also does not wish to narrow the high school science curriculum to a singular focus on biology.

    (2) However, the legislature finds that the financial resources for developing additional end-of-course assessments for high school science are not available in the 2011-13 biennium.  Nevertheless, the legislature intends to revisit this issue in the future and further intends at an appropriate time to direct the superintendent of public instruction to develop one or more end-of-course assessments in additional science subjects.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2."

    Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

    On page 1, beginning on line 7, after "(1)" strike all material through "students" on line 8 and insert "Students in the graduating class of 2014"

    On page 2, line 9, after "August 31," strike "2016" and insert "2014"

    On page 5, at the beginning of line 1, strike "learning)).  The state board of education shall identify the first scores by December 1, 2007" and insert " learning.  The state board of education shall identify the first scores by December 1, 2007)).  A student's score on the science portion of the ACT or the science subject area tests of the SAT may be used as an objective alternative assessment under this section as soon as the state board of education determines that sufficient data is available to identify reliable equivalent scores for the science content area of the statewide student assessment"

    On page 5, line 29, after "biology" insert ", physics, chemistry, or environmental science"

    On page 7, line 36, after "may" strike "not"

    On page 8, line 2, after "RCW 28A.655.061" insert ", when so directed by the legislature"

    Correct the title.

EFFECT:   Allows students in the class of 2014 (rather than the classes of 2014 through 2016) to graduate without a Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) if they do not pass the state science assessment, by earning an additional science credit.  Requires that students beginning with the class of 2015 (rather than the class of 2017) must meet the state standard on the high school science assessment for both a CAA and for graduation.

Adds to the list of AP science exams where a score of 3 serves as an alternative assessment for students to meet the standard in science for graduation purposes.  Allows science scores from the ACT or SAT subject area tests to be used as an alternative as soon as the State Board of Education determines that sufficient data is available to identify reliable equivalent scores.

Removes a prohibition on the Superintendent of Public Instruction from developing end-of-course assessments (EOCs) in subjects in addition to Biology for purposes of graduation, and instead states that additional development may occur when directed by the Legislature.  Adds an intent section that the Legislature recognizes that there is important science content beyond Biology, but that financial resources for developing additional EOCs are not available in 2011-13.  States that the Legislature intends to direct SPI to develop additional EOCs in the future. 

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