Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Education Committee |
HB 1463
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: Eliminating the use of statewide assessments as a high school graduation requirement.
Sponsors: Representatives McCoy, Hope, Haler, Moscoso, Dunshee, Hunt, Seaquist, Appleton, Pettigrew, Kenney, Liias, Moeller, Van De Wege, Ormsby, Hasegawa, Goodman, Roberts, Ryu, Haigh, Stanford, Rolfes and Sells.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/1/11
Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).
Background:
Starting with the class of 2008, high school students are required to meet the state standard on the 10th grade state assessment in reading, writing, and mathematics to receive a Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA). Students in special education who are not appropriately assessed using the state assessment can earn a Certificate of Individual Achievement (CIA).
The CAA or CIA were to be required for high school graduation starting with the class of 2008, but the 2007 Legislature enacted a temporary exception for students who do not meet the state standard in mathematics. Until 2013, these students can still graduate without a CAA as long as they have met the state standard on the reading and writing assessment and take additional mathematics courses.
Starting with the Class of 2013, the CAA and CIA will be required for high school graduation, and will also require students to have met the state standard on the science assessment. As of 2009-10, 28 states including Washington require students to pass some form of exit exam for graduation purposes. The types of tests and the required subjects vary widely.
Students have multiple opportunities to retake the high school assessments. The Legislature has also authorized several objective alternative assessments for students who are unsuccessful on the high school assessment after at least one attempt. In 2008 the Legislature directed that the high school mathematics assessment be redesigned as a series of end-of-course tests. These tests will be used as the high school assessment in mathematics for purposes of graduation.
Summary of Bill:
The requirement that, in order to graduate, students must earn a Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) by meeting the state standard on the high school assessment in reading, writing, mathematics, and science is repealed. Students in special education no longer have to earn a Certificate of Individual Achievement (CIA).
Laws are repealed pertaining to:
retaking the high school assessment;
creating objective alternative assessments;
establishing a pilot program for students who complete other high school graduation requirements except meeting the standard on the assessment;
requiring students who do not pass the high school assessment in mathematics to take additional mathematics courses until 2013; and
requiring use of the end-of-course assessments in mathematics as the high school assessment for graduation purposes.
All references to the CAA and CIA are eliminated.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on 1/25/11.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.