BILL REQ. #: H-0813.1
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/19/11. Referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to high school assessments as graduation requirements; amending RCW 28A.655.061 and 28A.655.0611; creating a new section; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that the current
fiscal situation is placing a tremendous strain on both the state and
local school districts. At the same time as funding is being reduced,
school districts are being asked to make changes in student performance
assessments by moving to a new form of testing that may be incongruous
with the instruction those students received, particularly in
mathematics. It is both fiscal and practically prudent to adjust the
use of high school assessments for graduation purposes temporarily to
alleviate some of the strain on the state, school districts, and
students.
Sec. 2 RCW 28A.655.061 and 2010 c 244 s 1 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The high school assessment system shall include but need not be
limited to the Washington assessment of student learning, opportunities
for a student to retake the content areas of the assessment in which
the student was not successful, and if approved by the legislature
pursuant to subsection (10) of this section, one or more objective
alternative assessments for a student to demonstrate achievement of
state academic standards. The objective alternative assessments for
each content area shall be comparable in rigor to the skills and
knowledge that the student must demonstrate on the Washington
assessment of student learning for each content area.
(2) Subject to the conditions in this section, a certificate of
academic achievement shall be obtained by most students at about the
age of sixteen, and is evidence that the students have successfully met
the state standard in the content areas included in the certificate.
With the exception of students satisfying the provisions of RCW
28A.155.045 or 28A.655.0611, acquisition of the certificate is required
for graduation from a public high school but is not the only
requirement for graduation.
(3) Beginning with the graduating class of 2008, with the exception
of students satisfying the provisions of RCW 28A.155.045, a student who
meets the state standards on the reading, writing, and mathematics
content areas of the high school Washington assessment of student
learning shall earn a certificate of academic achievement. If a
student does not successfully meet the state standards in one or more
content areas required for the certificate of academic achievement,
then the student may retake the assessment in the content area up to
four times at no cost to the student. If the student successfully
meets the state standards on a retake of the assessment then the
student shall earn a certificate of academic achievement. Once
objective alternative assessments are authorized pursuant to subsection
(10) of this section, a student may use the objective alternative
assessments to demonstrate that the student successfully meets the
state standards for that content area if the student has taken the
Washington assessment of student learning at least once. If the
student successfully meets the state standards on the objective
alternative assessments then the student shall earn a certificate of
academic achievement.
(4) Beginning ((no later than)) with the graduating class of
((2013)) 2016, a student must meet the state standards in science in
addition to the other content areas required under subsection (3) of
this section on the Washington assessment of student learning or the
objective alternative assessments in order to earn a certificate of
academic achievement. ((The state board of education may adopt a rule
that implements the requirements of this subsection (4) beginning with
a graduating class before the graduating class of 2013, if the state
board of education adopts the rule by September 1st of the freshman
school year of the graduating class to which the requirements of this
subsection (4) apply. The state board of education's authority under
this subsection (4) does not alter the requirement that any change in
performance standards for the tenth grade assessment must comply with
RCW 28A.305.130.))
(5) The state board of education may not require the acquisition of
the certificate of academic achievement for students in home-based
instruction under chapter 28A.200 RCW, for students enrolled in private
schools under chapter 28A.195 RCW, or for students satisfying the
provisions of RCW 28A.155.045.
(6) A student may retain and use the highest result from each
successfully completed content area of the high school assessment.
(7) School districts must make available to students the following
options:
(a) To retake the Washington assessment of student learning up to
four times in the content areas in which the student did not meet the
state standards if the student is enrolled in a public school; or
(b) To retake the Washington assessment of student learning up to
four times in the content areas in which the student did not meet the
state standards if the student is enrolled in a high school completion
program at a community or technical college. The superintendent of
public instruction and the state board for community and technical
colleges shall jointly identify means by which students in these
programs can be assessed.
(8) Students who achieve the standard in a content area of the high
school assessment but who wish to improve their results shall pay for
retaking the assessment, using a uniform cost determined by the
superintendent of public instruction.
(9) Opportunities to retake the assessment at least twice a year
shall be available to each school district.
(10)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction
shall develop options for implementing objective alternative
assessments, which may include an appeals process for students' scores,
for students to demonstrate achievement of the state academic
standards. The objective alternative assessments shall be comparable
in rigor to the skills and knowledge that the student must demonstrate
on the Washington assessment of student learning and be objective in
its determination of student achievement of the state standards.
Before any objective alternative assessments in addition to those
authorized in RCW 28A.655.065 or (b) of this subsection are used by a
student to demonstrate that the student has met the state standards in
a content area required to obtain a certificate, the legislature shall
formally approve the use of any objective alternative assessments
through the omnibus appropriations act or by statute or concurrent
resolution.
(b)(i) A student's score on the mathematics, reading or English, or
writing portion of the SAT or the ACT may be used as an objective
alternative assessment under this section for demonstrating that a
student has met or exceeded the state standards for the certificate of
academic achievement. The state board of education shall identify the
scores students must achieve on the relevant portion of the SAT or ACT
to meet or exceed the state standard in the relevant content area on
the Washington assessment of student learning. The state board of
education shall identify the first scores by December 1, 2007. After
the first scores are established, the state board may increase but not
decrease the scores required for students to meet or exceed the state
standards.
(ii) Until August 31, 2008, a student's score on the mathematics
portion of the PSAT may be used as an objective alternative assessment
under this section for demonstrating that a student has met or exceeded
the state standard for the certificate of academic achievement. The
state board of education shall identify the score students must achieve
on the mathematics portion of the PSAT to meet or exceed the state
standard in that content area on the Washington assessment of student
learning.
(iii) A student who scores at least a three on the grading scale of
one to five for selected AP examinations may use the score as an
objective alternative assessment under this section for demonstrating
that a student has met or exceeded state standards for the certificate
of academic achievement. A score of three on the AP examinations in
calculus or statistics may be used as an alternative assessment for the
mathematics portion of the Washington assessment of student learning.
A score of three on the AP examinations in English language and
composition may be used as an alternative assessment for the writing
portion of the Washington assessment of student learning. A score of
three on the AP examinations in English literature and composition,
macroeconomics, microeconomics, psychology, United States history,
world history, United States government and politics, or comparative
government and politics may be used as an alternative assessment for
the reading portion of the Washington assessment of student learning.
(11) By December 15, 2004, the house of representatives and senate
education committees shall obtain information and conclusions from
recognized, independent, national assessment experts regarding the
validity and reliability of the high school Washington assessment of
student learning for making individual student high school graduation
determinations.
(12) To help assure continued progress in academic achievement as
a foundation for high school graduation and to assure that students are
on track for high school graduation, each school district shall prepare
plans for and notify students and their parents or legal guardians as
provided in this subsection. Student learning plans are required for
eighth grade students who were not successful on any or all of the
content areas of the state assessment during the previous school year
or who may not be on track to graduate due to credit deficiencies or
absences. The parent or legal guardian shall be notified about the
information in the student learning plan, preferably through a parent
conference and at least annually. To the extent feasible, schools
serving English language learner students and their parents shall
translate the plan into the primary language of the family. The plan
shall include the following information as applicable:
(a) The student's results on the state assessment;
(b) If the student is in the transitional bilingual program, the
score on his or her Washington language proficiency test II;
(c) Any credit deficiencies;
(d) The student's attendance rates over the previous two years;
(e) The student's progress toward meeting state and local
graduation requirements;
(f) The courses, competencies, and other steps needed to be taken
by the student to meet state academic standards and stay on track for
graduation;
(g) Remediation strategies and alternative education options
available to students, including informing students of the option to
continue to receive instructional services after grade twelve or until
the age of twenty-one;
(h) The alternative assessment options available to students under
this section and RCW 28A.655.065;
(i) School district programs, high school courses, and career and
technical education options available for students to meet graduation
requirements; and
(j) Available programs offered through skill centers or community
and technical colleges, including the college high school diploma
options under RCW 28B.50.535.
Sec. 3 RCW 28A.655.0611 and 2009 c 17 s 1 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Beginning with the graduating class of 2008 and through ((no
later than)) the graduating class of ((2012)) 2015, students may
graduate from high school without earning a certificate of academic
achievement or a certificate of individual achievement if they:
(a) Have not successfully met the mathematics standard on the high
school Washington assessment of student learning, an approved objective
alternative assessment, or an alternate assessment developed for
eligible special education students;
(b) Have successfully met the state standard in the other content
areas required for a certificate under RCW 28A.655.061 or 28A.155.045;
(c) Have met all other state and school district graduation
requirements; and
(d)(i) For the graduating class of 2008, successfully earn one high
school mathematics credit or career and technical course equivalent,
including courses offered at skill centers, after the student's
eleventh grade year intended to increase the student's mathematics
proficiency toward meeting or exceeding the mathematics standards
assessed on the high school Washington assessment of student learning;
and
(ii) For the remaining graduating classes under this section,
successfully earn two mathematics credits or career and technical
course equivalent, including courses offered at skill centers, after
the student's tenth grade year intended to increase the student's
mathematics proficiency toward meeting or exceeding the mathematics
standards assessed on the high school Washington assessment of student
learning.
(2) ((The state board of education may adopt a rule that ends the
application of this section with a graduating class before the
graduating class of 2012, if the state board of education adopts the
rule by September 1st of the freshman school year of the graduating
class to which the provisions of this section no longer apply. The
state board of education's authority under this section does not alter
the requirement that any change in performance standards for the tenth
grade assessment must comply with RCW 28A.305.130.)) This section expires August 31, ((
(3)2013)) 2016.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 This act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the
state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect
immediately.