Passed by the House May 25, 2011 Yeas 86   ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate May 25, 2011 Yeas 41   ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1410 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 1st Special Session |
READ FIRST TIME 05/11/11.
AN ACT Relating to science end-of-course assessments; amending RCW 28A.655.061; adding a new section to chapter 28A.655 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (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 2011-2013 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.
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)) statewide student 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)) statewide student 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)) statewide student
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)) statewide student 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)) 2015, 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)) statewide student 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)) statewide student 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)) statewide student 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)) statewide student 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)) statewide student assessment ((of student 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. 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.)) 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 ((
(iii)Washington)) statewide student 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)) statewide
student 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)) statewide student assessment ((of student
learning)). A score of three on the AP examination in biology,
physics, chemistry, or environmental science may be used as an
alternative assessment for the science portion of the statewide student
assessment.
(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.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 28A.655
RCW to read as follows:
(1) Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, the statewide high school
assessment in science shall be an end-of-course assessment for biology
that measures the state standards for life sciences, in addition to
systems, inquiry, and application as they pertain to life sciences.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction may develop science
end-of-course assessments in subjects in addition to biology for
purposes of RCW 28A.655.061, when so directed by the legislature.
(3) The superintendent of public instruction may participate with
consortia of multiple states as common student learning standards and
assessments in science are developed. The superintendent of public
instruction, in consultation with the state board of education, may
modify the essential academic learning requirements and statewide
student assessments in science, including the high school assessment,
according to the multistate common student learning standards and
assessments as long as the education committees of the legislature have
opportunities for review before the modifications are adopted, as
provided under RCW 28A.655.070.
(4) The statewide high school assessment under this section shall
be used to demonstrate that a student meets the state standards in the
science content area of the statewide student assessment for purposes
of RCW 28A.655.061.