Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Appropriations Committee

HB 2047

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: Reducing the costs of the student assessment system by using consortium-developed assessments and reducing the assessments required for graduation to three content areas.

Sponsors: Representatives Springer, Hunter, Sullivan and Tharinger.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to adapt the statewide assessment system in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics in the 2014-15 school year using assessments developed by a multistate consortium.

  • Ends the Geometry end-of-course test after the 2012-13 school year.

  • Provides that, beginning with the graduating class of 2015, students must meet the state standard for graduation in ELA rather than in reading and writing.

  • Directs the SPI also to adopt the consortium-developed College and Career Readiness assessments in ELA and mathematics, to be used as an alternative assessment for students who attempt the state assessment at least once, but not to be required for graduation.

Hearing Date: 4/22/13

Staff: Jessica Harrell (786-7349).

Background:

Statewide Student Assessment System.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), in consultation with the State Board of Education, 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.

The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act 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.

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.

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 class of 2015, students will have to meet the standard in reading, writing, two mathematics EOCs, and the Biology EOC for high school graduation.

Students who take the state assessment at least once but are not successful may attempt to meet the state standard for graduation purposes using an alternative assessment. Alternative assessments must be expressly authorized by the Legislature.

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.

Summary of Bill:

Statewide Student Assessment System.

The SPI is directed to modify the statewide student assessment system and implement assessments developed by a multistate consortium in ELA and mathematics in the 2014-15 school year, including a high school CCR assessment which is to be used as an alternative assessment but not required for graduation. The SPI must maximize use of the consortium assessments in adapting the state high school state assessments in ELA and mathematics used for graduation purposes.

References to reading and writing as they pertain to the assessment system are replaced with references to ELA. The Geometry EOC is not administered after the 2012-13 school year.

High School Graduation.

Students may use results from either the Algebra I EOC or the Geometry EOC, until it is no longer administered, for purposes of meeting the mathemics requirement for graduation. Thereafter, the Algebra I EOC results are used.

Beginning with the graduating class of 2015, students must meet the state standard in ELA rather than in reading and writing. Students may use results from the reading and writing assessments administered through the 2013-14 school year to demonstrate they are meeting the ELA requirement.

Results from the CCR assessments in ELA and mathematics are authorized for use as alternative assessments for graduation.

Technical changes are made to correct references to the assessment system regarding the GET Ready for Math and Science scholarship and the Apple Award for high performing elementary schools.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on April 18, 2013.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.