Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Education Committee |
HB 1450
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: Regarding assessments in public schools.
Sponsors: Representatives Hunt and Pollet; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/8/13
Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).
Background:
Statewide Student Assessment System. The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), in consultation with the State Board of Education (SBE), is authorized to maintain and revise a statewide academic assessment system to measure student knowledge and skills on state learning standards, and to use for purposes of state and federal accountability. The assessment system must cover the content areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science for elementary, middle, and high school years.
In 2008 legislation was enacted requiring high school mathematics to be assessed using end-of-course tests (EOCs) in Algebra I and Geometry. In 2011 legislation directed that high school science be assessed using a Biology EOC.
The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) requires states to assess students based on state learning standards in reading and mathematics in each of grades three through eight and one high school grade, as well as in at least one grade each in elementary, middle, and high school in science.
High School Graduation. Since the graduating class of 2008, Washington students have been required to meet the state standard on the assessment in reading and writing for high school graduation. Students in the graduating classes of 2013 and 2014 will also have to meet the standard in at least one of the mathematics EOCs. Beginning with the graduating class of 2015, students will have to meet the standard on the state assessment in reading, writing, two mathematics EOCs, and the Biology EOC for high school graduation.
Common Core State Standards and Assessments. In 2011 the SPI adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as the state learning standards for English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. Washington is participating in a multistate consortium to develop new student assessments for the CCSS. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) will have assessments ready for states to use in 2014-15 for federal accountability purposes. The SBAC high school assessments in ELA and mathematics will be set at a College and Career Readiness level (CCR), to be administered in 11th grade. States who are part of the SBAC will be able to use questions from the test item bank if they choose to continue offering their own high school assessments in addition to the CCR assessment.
The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges have convened a work group of high school and higher education faculty to examine the CCSS and consider how the results of the new CCR assessment might be used for higher education decisions such as placement or admission.
Collection of Evidence. Students who attempt the state high school assessment at least once may use an alternative assessment approved by the Legislature to demonstrate that they meet the state standard in a particular subject for purposes of the graduation requirement. One of the alternative assessments is a Collection of Evidence (COE), which is a portfolio of student work that meets guidelines developed by the SPI and is scored by a state-level panel of educators trained by the SPI and using uniform scoring criteria.
Summary of Bill:
Statewide Student Assessment System. References to reading and writing as they pertain to the statewide student assessment system are replaced with references to the ELA. The Geometry EOC is not administered after the 2012-13 school year.
High School Graduation. Beginning with the graduating class of 2015, students must meet the state standard in the following subjects for high school graduation:
the ELA, which can be met using reading and writing assessments offered through 2013-14, an ELA exit exam offered in 2014-15 and thereafter, or a CCR assessment offered in 2014-15 and thereafter;
mathematics, which can be met using the Algebra I EOC, the Geometry EOC through 2012-13, or a CCR assessment offered in 2014-15 and thereafter; and
science, which continues to be met using the Biology EOC.
Common Core State Standards and Assessments. The WSAC must convene a workgroup with representatives of high schools, public institutions of higher education, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and the SBE. The workgroup must determine how the results of the CCR assessment could be incorporated into college and university admissions, scholarship, and placement decisions. The WSAC must report its findings to the institutions of higher education by March 1, 2014.
The public institutions of higher education must report to the Governor, the Legislature, and the WSAC by January 15, 2015, regarding how they plan to incorporate the CCR assessment results.
Collection of Evidence. The COEs are scored at the district level by trained educators, rather than by a state-level panel. The OSPI must develop a process for periodically auditing school districts to ensure fair and reliable scoring.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.