BILL REQ. #: H-0129.1
| State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2013 Regular Session |
Prefiled 12/05/12. Read first time 01/14/13. Referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to reducing costs by reducing state assessment requirements; amending RCW 28A.155.170, 28A.165.025, 28A.195.010, 28A.200.010, 28A.230.090, 28A.230.122, 28A.230.125, 28A.305.130, 28A.600.310, 28A.655.061, 28A.655.066, 28A.655.068, 28A.655.185, 28A.655.200, and 28A.655.070; reenacting and amending RCW 28B.15.067; creating a new section; and repealing RCW 28A.155.045, 28A.180.100, 28A.600.405, 28A.655.0611, 28A.655.063, 28A.655.065, and 28B.50.534.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that in the area of
student performance assessments, a balance must be found between
accountability and cost. The federal government mandates student
testing in reading and mathematics at grades three through eight and
high school, plus testing in science at elementary, middle, and high
school. Over the years, Washington has incrementally added more
requirements for students and schools, starting with a writing
assessment, and then establishing two high school mathematics
assessments. Washington also requires students to meet the state
standard on assessments in four different subjects for purposes of high
school graduation, which necessitates making provisions for retakes,
multiple test administrations during the year, and alternative
assessment options. Given the financial challenges facing the state
and school districts, the legislature finds that corrective action is
needed to reduce the cost and burden of testing, and therefore intends
to base student and school accountability on only those assessment
requirements that are mandated under federal law.
Sec. 2 RCW 28A.155.170 and 2007 c 318 s 2 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Beginning July 1, 2007, each school district that operates a
high school shall establish a policy and procedures that permit any
student who is receiving special education or related services under an
individualized education program pursuant to state and federal law and
who will continue to receive such services between the ages of eighteen
and twenty-one to participate in the graduation ceremony and activities
after four years of high school attendance with his or her age-appropriate peers and receive a certificate of attendance.
(2) Participation in a graduation ceremony and receipt of a
certificate of attendance under this section does not preclude a
student from continuing to receive special education and related
services under an individualized education program beyond the
graduation ceremony.
(3) A student's participation in a graduation ceremony and receipt
of a certificate of attendance under this section shall not be
construed as the student's receipt of ((either:)) a high school diploma pursuant to RCW 28A.230.120((
(a); or)).
(b) A certificate of individual achievement pursuant to RCW
28A.155.045
Sec. 3 RCW 28A.165.025 and 2009 c 556 s 1 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) A participating school district shall submit the district's
plan for using learning assistance funds to the office of the
superintendent of public instruction for approval, to the extent
required under subsection (2) of this section. The program plan must
identify the program activities to be implemented from RCW 28A.165.035
and implement all of the elements in (a) through (h) of this
subsection. The school district plan shall include the following:
(a) District and school-level data on reading((, writing,)) and
mathematics achievement as reported pursuant to chapter 28A.655 RCW and
relevant federal law;
(b) Processes used for identifying the underachieving students to
be served by the program, including the identification of school or
program sites providing program activities;
(c) How accelerated learning plans are developed and implemented
for participating students. Accelerated learning plans may be
developed as part of existing student achievement plan process such as
student plans for achieving state high school graduation standards,
individual student academic plans, or the achievement plans for groups
of students. Accelerated learning plans shall include:
(i) Achievement goals for the students;
(ii) Roles of the student, parents, or guardians and teachers in
the plan;
(iii) Communication procedures regarding student accomplishment;
and
(iv) Plan reviews and adjustments processes;
(d) How state level and classroom assessments are used to inform
instruction;
(e) How focused and intentional instructional strategies have been
identified and implemented;
(f) How highly qualified instructional staff are developed and
supported in the program and in participating schools;
(g) How other federal, state, district, and school resources are
coordinated with school improvement plans and the district's strategic
plan to support underachieving students; and
(h) How a program evaluation will be conducted to determine
direction for the following school year.
(2) If a school district has received approval of its plan once, it
is not required to submit a plan for approval under RCW 28A.165.045 or
this section unless the district has made a significant change to the
plan. If a district has made a significant change to only a portion of
the plan the district need only submit a description of the changes
made and not the entire plan. Plans or descriptions of changes to the
plan must be submitted by July 1st as required under this section. The
office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish
guidelines for what a "significant change" is.
Sec. 4 RCW 28A.195.010 and 2009 c 548 s 303 are each amended to
read as follows:
The legislature hereby recognizes that private schools should be
subject only to those minimum state controls necessary to insure the
health and safety of all the students in the state and to insure a
sufficient basic education to meet usual graduation requirements. The
state, any agency or official thereof, shall not restrict or dictate
any specific educational or other programs for private schools except
as hereinafter in this section provided.
Principals of private schools or superintendents of private school
districts shall file each year with the state superintendent of public
instruction a statement certifying that the minimum requirements
hereinafter set forth are being met, noting any deviations. After
review of the statement, the state superintendent will notify schools
or school districts of those deviations which must be corrected. In
case of major deviations, the school or school district may request and
the state board of education may grant provisional status for one year
in order that the school or school district may take action to meet the
requirements. The state board of education shall not require private
school students to meet the student learning goals, ((obtain a
certificate of academic achievement, or a certificate of individual
achievement to graduate from high school,)) to master the essential
academic learning requirements, or to be assessed pursuant to RCW
((28A.655.061)) 28A.655.070. However, private schools may choose, on
a voluntary basis, to have their students master these essential
academic learning requirements((,)) or take the assessments((, and
obtain a certificate of academic achievement or a certificate of
individual achievement)). Minimum requirements shall be as follows:
(1) The minimum school year for instructional purposes shall
consist of no less than one hundred eighty school days or the
equivalent in annual minimum instructional hour offerings, with a
school-wide annual average total instructional hour offering of one
thousand hours for students enrolled in grades one through twelve, and
at least four hundred fifty hours for students enrolled in
kindergarten.
(2) The school day shall be the same as defined in RCW 28A.150.203.
(3) All classroom teachers shall hold appropriate Washington state
certification except as follows:
(a) Teachers for religious courses or courses for which no
counterpart exists in public schools shall not be required to obtain a
state certificate to teach those courses.
(b) In exceptional cases, people of unusual competence but without
certification may teach students so long as a certified person
exercises general supervision. Annual written statements shall be
submitted to the office of the superintendent of public instruction
reporting and explaining such circumstances.
(4) An approved private school may operate an extension program for
parents, guardians, or persons having legal custody of a child to teach
children in their custody. The extension program shall require at a
minimum that:
(a) The parent, guardian, or custodian be under the supervision of
an employee of the approved private school who is certified under
chapter 28A.410 RCW;
(b) The planning by the certified person and the parent, guardian,
or person having legal custody include objectives consistent with this
subsection and subsections (1), (2), (5), (6), and (7) of this section;
(c) The certified person spend a minimum average each month of one
contact hour per week with each student under his or her supervision
who is enrolled in the approved private school extension program;
(d) Each student's progress be evaluated by the certified person;
and
(e) The certified employee shall not supervise more than thirty
students enrolled in the approved private school's extension program.
(5) Appropriate measures shall be taken to safeguard all permanent
records against loss or damage.
(6) The physical facilities of the school or district shall be
adequate to meet the program offered by the school or district:
PROVIDED, That each school building shall meet reasonable health and
fire safety requirements. A residential dwelling of the parent,
guardian, or custodian shall be deemed to be an adequate physical
facility when a parent, guardian, or person having legal custody is
instructing his or her child under subsection (4) of this section.
(7) Private school curriculum shall include instruction of the
basic skills of occupational education, science, mathematics, language,
social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the
development of appreciation of art and music, all in sufficient units
for meeting state board of education graduation requirements.
(8) Each school or school district shall be required to maintain
up-to-date policy statements related to the administration and
operation of the school or school district.
All decisions of policy, philosophy, selection of books, teaching
material, curriculum, except as in subsection (7) of this section
provided, school rules and administration, or other matters not
specifically referred to in this section, shall be the responsibility
of the administration and administrators of the particular private
school involved.
Sec. 5 RCW 28A.200.010 and 2004 c 19 s 107 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Each parent whose child is receiving home-based instruction
under RCW 28A.225.010(4) shall have the duty to:
(a) File annually a signed declaration of intent that he or she is
planning to cause his or her child to receive home-based instruction.
The statement shall include the name and age of the child, shall
specify whether a certificated person will be supervising the
instruction, and shall be written in a format prescribed by the
superintendent of public instruction. Each parent shall file the
statement by September 15th of the school year or within two weeks of
the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester with
the superintendent of the public school district within which the
parent resides or the district that accepts the transfer, and the
student shall be deemed a transfer student of the nonresident district.
Parents may apply for transfer under RCW 28A.225.220;
(b) Ensure that test scores or annual academic progress assessments
and immunization records, together with any other records that are kept
relating to the instructional and educational activities provided, are
forwarded to any other public or private school to which the child
transfers. At the time of a transfer to a public school, the
superintendent of the local school district in which the child enrolls
may require a standardized achievement test to be administered and
shall have the authority to determine the appropriate grade and course
level placement of the child after consultation with parents and review
of the child's records; and
(c) Ensure that a standardized achievement test approved by the
state board of education is administered annually to the child by a
qualified individual or that an annual assessment of the student's
academic progress is written by a certificated person who is currently
working in the field of education. The state board of education shall
not require these children to meet the student learning goals, master
the essential academic learning requirements, ((to)) or take the
assessments((, or to obtain a certificate of academic achievement or a
certificate of individual achievement pursuant to RCW 28A.655.061 and
28A.155.045)) under RCW 28A.655.070. The standardized test
administered or the annual academic progress assessment written shall
be made a part of the child's permanent records. If, as a result of
the annual test or assessment, it is determined that the child is not
making reasonable progress consistent with his or her age or stage of
development, the parent shall make a good faith effort to remedy any
deficiency.
(2) Failure of a parent to comply with the duties in this section
shall be deemed a failure of such parent's child to attend school
without valid justification under RCW 28A.225.020. Parents who do
comply with the duties set forth in this section shall be presumed to
be providing home-based instruction as set forth in RCW 28A.225.010(4).
Sec. 6 RCW 28A.230.090 and 2011 c 203 s 2 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The state board of education shall establish high school
graduation requirements or equivalencies for students, except as
provided in RCW 28A.230.122 and except those equivalencies established
by local high schools or school districts under RCW 28A.230.097. The
purpose of a high school diploma is to declare that a student is ready
for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and
citizenship, and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner.
(a) Any course in Washington state history and government used to
fulfill high school graduation requirements shall consider including
information on the culture, history, and government of the American
Indian peoples who were the first inhabitants of the state.
(b) ((The certificate of academic achievement requirements under
RCW 28A.655.061 or the certificate of individual achievement
requirements under RCW 28A.155.045 are required for graduation from a
public high school but are not the only requirements for graduation.)) Any decision on whether a student has met the state board's
high school graduation requirements for a high school and beyond plan
shall remain at the local level.
(c)
(2)(a) In recognition of the statutory authority of the state board
of education to establish and enforce minimum high school graduation
requirements, the state board shall periodically reevaluate the
graduation requirements and shall report such findings to the
legislature in a timely manner as determined by the state board.
(b) The state board shall reevaluate the graduation requirements
for students enrolled in vocationally intensive and rigorous career and
technical education programs, particularly those programs that lead to
a certificate or credential that is state or nationally recognized.
The purpose of the evaluation is to ensure that students enrolled in
these programs have sufficient opportunity to ((earn a certificate of
academic achievement)) meet the state's essential academic learning
requirements, complete the program and earn the program's certificate
or credential, and complete other state and local graduation
requirements.
(c) The state board shall forward any proposed changes to the high
school graduation requirements to the education committees of the
legislature for review and to the quality education council established
under RCW 28A.290.010. The legislature shall have the opportunity to
act during a regular legislative session before the changes are adopted
through administrative rule by the state board. Changes that have a
fiscal impact on school districts, as identified by a fiscal analysis
prepared by the office of the superintendent of public instruction,
shall take effect only if formally authorized and funded by the
legislature through the omnibus appropriations act or other enacted
legislation.
(3) Pursuant to any requirement for instruction in languages other
than English established by the state board of education or a local
school district, or both, for purposes of high school graduation,
students who receive instruction in American sign language or one or
more American Indian languages shall be considered to have satisfied
the state or local school district graduation requirement for
instruction in one or more languages other than English.
(4) If requested by the student and his or her family, a student
who has completed high school courses before attending high school
shall be given high school credit which shall be applied to fulfilling
high school graduation requirements if:
(a) The course was taken with high school students, if the academic
level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth
grade classes, and the student has successfully passed by completing
the same course requirements and examinations as the high school
students enrolled in the class; or
(b) The academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for
seventh and eighth grade classes and the course would qualify for high
school credit, because the course is similar or equivalent to a course
offered at a high school in the district as determined by the school
district board of directors.
(5) Students who have taken and successfully completed high school
courses under the circumstances in subsection (4) of this section shall
not be required to take an additional competency examination or perform
any other additional assignment to receive credit.
(6) At the college or university level, five quarter or three
semester hours equals one high school credit.
Sec. 7 RCW 28A.230.122 and 2011 c 203 s 1 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) A student who fulfills the requirements specified in subsection
(3) of this section toward completion of an international baccalaureate
diploma programme is considered to have satisfied state minimum
requirements for graduation from a public high school, except that((:)) the provisions of RCW 28A.230.170 regarding study of the
United States Constitution and the Washington state Constitution apply
to students under this section.
(a) The provisions of RCW 28A.655.061 regarding the certificate of
academic achievement or RCW 28A.155.045 regarding the certificate of
individual achievement apply to students under this section; and
(b)
(2) School districts may require students under this section to
complete local graduation requirements that are in addition to state
minimum requirements before issuing a high school diploma under RCW
28A.230.120. However, school districts are encouraged to waive local
requirements as necessary to encourage students to pursue an
international baccalaureate diploma.
(3) To receive a high school diploma under this section, a student
must complete and pass all required international baccalaureate diploma
programme courses as scored at the local level; pass all internal
assessments as scored at the local level; successfully complete all
required projects and products as scored at the local level; and
complete the final examinations administered by the international
baccalaureate organization in each of the required subjects under the
diploma programme.
Sec. 8 RCW 28A.230.125 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 11 s 130 are each
amended to read as follows:
(((1))) The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation
with the four-year institutions as defined in RCW 28B.76.020, the state
board for community and technical colleges, and the workforce training
and education coordinating board, shall develop for use by all public
school districts a standardized high school transcript. The
superintendent shall establish clear definitions for the terms
"credits" and "hours" so that school programs operating on the quarter,
semester, or trimester system can be compared.
(((2) The standardized high school transcript shall include a
notation of whether the student has earned a certificate of individual
achievement or a certificate of academic achievement.))
Sec. 9 RCW 28A.305.130 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 6 s 1 are each
amended to read as follows:
The purpose of the state board of education is to provide advocacy
and strategic oversight of public education; implement a standards-based accountability framework that creates a unified system of
increasing levels of support for schools in order to improve student
academic achievement; provide leadership in the creation of a system
that personalizes education for each student and respects diverse
cultures, abilities, and learning styles; and promote achievement of
the goals of RCW 28A.150.210. In addition to any other powers and
duties as provided by law, the state board of education shall:
(1) Hold regularly scheduled meetings at such time and place within
the state as the board shall determine and may hold such special
meetings as may be deemed necessary for the transaction of public
business;
(2) Form committees as necessary to effectively and efficiently
conduct the work of the board;
(3) Seek advice from the public and interested parties regarding
the work of the board;
(4) For purposes of statewide accountability:
(a) Adopt and revise performance improvement goals in reading,
((writing,)) science, and mathematics, by subject and grade level, once
assessments in these subjects are required statewide; academic and
technical skills, as appropriate, in secondary career and technical
education programs; and student attendance, as the board deems
appropriate to improve student learning. The goals shall be consistent
with student privacy protection provisions of RCW 28A.655.090(7) and
shall not conflict with requirements contained in Title I of the
federal elementary and secondary education act of 1965, or the
requirements of the Carl D. Perkins vocational education act of 1998,
each as amended. The goals may be established for all students,
economically disadvantaged students, limited English proficient
students, students with disabilities, and students from
disproportionately academically underachieving racial and ethnic
backgrounds. The board may establish school and school district goals
addressing high school graduation rates and dropout reduction goals for
students in grades seven through twelve. The board shall adopt the
goals by rule. However, before each goal is implemented, the board
shall present the goal to the education committees of the house of
representatives and the senate for the committees' review and comment
in a time frame that will permit the legislature to take statutory
action on the goal if such action is deemed warranted by the
legislature;
(b) Identify the scores students must achieve in order to meet the
standard on the statewide student assessment ((and, for high school
students, to obtain a certificate of academic achievement)). The board
shall also determine student scores that identify levels of student
performance below and beyond the standard. ((The board shall consider
the incorporation of the standard error of measurement into the
decision regarding the award of the certificates.)) The board shall
set such performance standards and levels in consultation with the
superintendent of public instruction and after consideration of any
recommendations that may be developed by any advisory committees that
may be established for this purpose. ((The legislature shall be
advised of the initial performance standards for the high school
statewide student assessment. Any changes recommended by the board in
the performance standards for the high school assessment shall be
presented to the education committees of the house of representatives
and the senate by November 30th of the school year in which the changes
will take place to permit the legislature to take statutory action
before the changes are implemented if such action is deemed warranted
by the legislature.)) The legislature shall be advised of the initial
performance standards and any changes made to the ((elementary level
performance standards and the middle school level)) performance
standards. The board must provide an explanation of and rationale for
all initial performance standards and any changes, for all grade levels
of the statewide student assessment. If the board changes the
performance standards for any grade level or subject, the
superintendent of public instruction must recalculate the results from
the previous ten years of administering that assessment regarding
students below, meeting, and beyond the state standard, to the extent
that this data is available, and post a comparison of the original and
recalculated results on the superintendent's web site;
(c) Annually review the assessment reporting system to ensure
fairness, accuracy, timeliness, and equity of opportunity, especially
with regard to schools with special circumstances and unique
populations of students, and a recommendation to the superintendent of
public instruction of any improvements needed to the system; and
(d) Include in the biennial report required under RCW 28A.305.035,
information on the progress that has been made in achieving goals
adopted by the board;
(5) Accredit, subject to such accreditation standards and
procedures as may be established by the state board of education, all
private schools that apply for accreditation, and approve, subject to
the provisions of RCW 28A.195.010, private schools carrying out a
program for any or all of the grades kindergarten through twelve.
However, no private school may be approved that operates a kindergarten
program only and no private school shall be placed upon the list of
accredited schools so long as secret societies are knowingly allowed to
exist among its students by school officials;
(6) Articulate with the institutions of higher education, workforce
representatives, and early learning policymakers and providers to
coordinate and unify the work of the public school system;
(7) Hire an executive director and an administrative assistant to
reside in the office of the superintendent of public instruction for
administrative purposes. Any other personnel of the board shall be
appointed as provided by RCW 28A.300.020. The board may delegate to
the executive director by resolution such duties as deemed necessary to
efficiently carry on the business of the board including, but not
limited to, the authority to employ necessary personnel and the
authority to enter into, amend, and terminate contracts on behalf of
the board. The executive director, administrative assistant, and all
but one of the other personnel of the board are exempt from civil
service, together with other staff as now or hereafter designated as
exempt in accordance with chapter 41.06 RCW; and
(8) Adopt a seal that shall be kept in the office of the
superintendent of public instruction.
Sec. 10 RCW 28A.600.310 and 2012 c 229 s 702 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Eleventh and twelfth grade students or students who have not
yet received the credits required for the award of a high school
diploma and are eligible to be in the eleventh or twelfth grades may
apply to a participating institution of higher education to enroll in
courses or programs offered by the institution of higher education. A
student receiving home-based instruction enrolling in a public high
school for the sole purpose of participating in courses or programs
offered by institutions of higher education shall not be counted by the
school district in any required state or federal accountability
reporting if the student's parents or guardians filed a declaration of
intent to provide home-based instruction and the student received home-based instruction during the school year before the school year in
which the student intends to participate in courses or programs offered
by the institution of higher education. Students receiving home-based
instruction under chapter 28A.200 RCW and students attending private
schools approved under chapter 28A.195 RCW shall not be required to
meet the student learning goals((, obtain a certificate of academic
achievement or a certificate of individual achievement to graduate from
high school,)) or to master the essential academic learning
requirements. However, students are eligible to enroll in courses or
programs in participating universities only if the board of directors
of the student's school district has decided to participate in the
program. Participating institutions of higher education, in
consultation with school districts, may establish admission standards
for these students. If the institution of higher education accepts a
secondary school pupil for enrollment under this section, the
institution of higher education shall send written notice to the pupil
and the pupil's school district within ten days of acceptance. The
notice shall indicate the course and hours of enrollment for that
pupil.
(2)(a) In lieu of tuition and fees, as defined in RCW 28B.15.020
and 28B.15.041:
(i) Running start students shall pay to the community or technical
college all other mandatory fees as established by each community or
technical college and, in addition, the state board for community and
technical colleges may authorize a fee of up to ten percent of tuition
and fees as defined in RCW 28B.15.020 and 28B.15.041; and
(ii) All other institutions of higher education operating a running
start program may charge running start students a fee of up to ten
percent of tuition and fees as defined in RCW 28B.15.020 and 28B.15.041
in addition to technology fees.
(b) The fees charged under this subsection (2) shall be prorated
based on credit load.
(3)(a) The institutions of higher education must make available fee
waivers for low-income running start students. Each institution must
establish a written policy for the determination of low-income students
before offering the fee waiver. A student shall be considered low
income and eligible for a fee waiver upon proof that the student is
currently qualified to receive free or reduced-price lunch. Acceptable
documentation of low-income status may also include, but is not limited
to, documentation that a student has been deemed eligible for free or
reduced-price lunches in the last five years, or other criteria
established in the institution's policy.
(b) Institutions of higher education, in collaboration with
relevant student associations, shall aim to have students who can
benefit from fee waivers take advantage of these waivers. Institutions
shall make every effort to communicate to students and their families
the benefits of the waivers and provide assistance to students and
their families on how to apply. Information about waivers shall, to
the greatest extent possible, be incorporated into financial aid
counseling, admission information, and individual billing statements.
Institutions also shall, to the greatest extent possible, use all means
of communication, including but not limited to web sites, online
catalogues, admission and registration forms, mass e-mail messaging,
social media, and outside marketing to ensure that information about
waivers is visible, compelling, and reaches the maximum number of
students and families that can benefit.
(4) The pupil's school district shall transmit to the institution
of higher education an amount per each full-time equivalent college
student at statewide uniform rates for vocational and nonvocational
students. The superintendent of public instruction shall separately
calculate and allocate moneys appropriated for basic education under
RCW 28A.150.260 to school districts for purposes of making such
payments and for granting school districts seven percent thereof to
offset program related costs. The calculations and allocations shall
be based upon the estimated statewide annual average per full-time
equivalent high school student allocations under RCW 28A.150.260,
excluding small high school enhancements, and applicable rules adopted
under chapter 34.05 RCW. The superintendent of public instruction,
participating institutions of higher education, and the state board for
community and technical colleges shall consult on the calculation and
distribution of the funds. The funds received by the institution of
higher education from the school district shall not be deemed tuition
or operating fees and may be retained by the institution of higher
education. A student enrolled under this subsection shall be counted
for the purpose of meeting enrollment targets in accordance with terms
and conditions specified in the omnibus appropriations act.
(5) The state board for community and technical colleges, in
collaboration with the other institutions of higher education that
participate in the running start program and the office of the
superintendent of public instruction, shall identify, assess, and
report on alternatives for providing ongoing and adequate financial
support for the program. Such alternatives shall include but are not
limited to student tuition, increased support from local school
districts, and reallocation of existing state financial support among
the community and technical college system to account for differential
running start enrollment levels and impacts. The state board for
community and technical colleges shall report the assessment of
alternatives to the governor and to the appropriate fiscal and policy
committees of the legislature by September 1, 2010.
Sec. 11 RCW 28A.655.061 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 22 s 2 are each
amended to read as follows:
(1) ((The high school assessment system shall include but need not
be limited to the statewide student assessment, 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 statewide student
assessment for each content area.)) To help assure continued progress in academic achievement as
a foundation for high school graduation ((
(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 statewide student assessment 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 statewide student assessment
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 with the graduating class of 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 statewide
student assessment or the objective alternative assessments in order to
earn a certificate of academic achievement.
(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 statewide student assessment 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 statewide student assessment 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 statewide student assessment 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 statewide student assessment. 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) 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 statewide student assessment. 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
statewide student assessment. 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
statewide student assessment. 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)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)) section. 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.
(2) 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;)) School district programs, high school courses, and career and
technical education options available for students to meet graduation
requirements; and
(i)
(((j))) (i) Available programs offered through skill centers or
community and technical colleges, including the college high school
diploma options under RCW 28B.50.535.
Sec. 12 RCW 28A.655.066 and 2011 c 25 s 2 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1)(a) In consultation with the state board of education, the
superintendent of public instruction shall develop statewide end-of-course assessments for high school mathematics that measure student
achievement of the state mathematics standards as provided in this
section. The superintendent shall take steps to ensure that the
language of the assessments is responsive to a diverse student
population. The assessments shall be implemented statewide in the
2010-11 school year.
(b) The superintendent shall develop end-of-course assessments for
the first year of high school mathematics that include the standards
common to algebra I and integrated mathematics I ((and for the second
year of high school mathematics that include the standards common to
geometry and integrated mathematics II)). The assessments under this
subsection (1)(b) shall be used to demonstrate that a student meets the
state standard on the mathematics content area of the high school
((Washington)) statewide student assessment ((of student learning)) for
purposes of ((RCW 28A.655.061)) state and federal accountability.
(c) The superintendent of public instruction shall also develop
subtests for the end-of-course assessments that measure standards for
the first ((two)) year((s)) of high school mathematics that are unique
to algebra I((,)) and integrated mathematics I((, geometry, and
integrated mathematics II)). The results of the subtests shall be
reported at the student, teacher, school, and district level.
(2) ((For the graduating classes of 2013 and 2014 and for purposes
of the certificate of academic achievement under RCW 28A.655.061, a
student may use: (a) Results from the end-of-course assessment for the
first year of high school mathematics or the results from the end-of-course assessment for the second year of high school mathematics; or
(b) results from a high school mathematics retake assessment.)) The superintendent of public instruction shall report at
least annually or more often if necessary to keep the education
committees of the legislature informed on each step of the development
and implementation process under this section.
(3) Beginning with the graduating class of 2015 and for purposes of
the certificate of academic achievement under RCW 28A.655.061, the
mathematics content area of the Washington assessment of student
learning shall be assessed using the end-of-course assessment for the
first year of high school mathematics plus the end-of-course assessment
for the second year of high school mathematics, or results from a high
school mathematics retake assessment for the end-of-course assessments
in which the student did not meet the standard.
(4) All of the objective alternative assessments available to
students under RCW 28A.655.061 and 28A.655.065 shall be available to
any student who has taken the sequence of end-of-course assessments
once but does not meet the state mathematics standard on the sequence
of end-of-course assessments.
(5)
Sec. 13 RCW 28A.655.068 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 22 s 3 are each
amended 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.)) 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.
(3)
(((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.))
Sec. 14 RCW 28A.655.185 and 2005 c 495 s 1 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) It is the intent of the legislature, through the creation of
the apple award, to honor and reward students in Washington's public
elementary schools who have shown significant improvement in their
school's results on the ((Washington)) statewide student assessment
((of student learning)).
(2) The apple award program is created to honor and reward public
elementary schools that have the greatest combined average increase in
the percentage of students meeting the fourth grade reading((,)) and
mathematics((, and writing)) standards on the ((Washington)) statewide
student assessment ((of student learning)) each school year. The
program shall be administered by the state board of education.
(3) Within the amounts appropriated for this purpose, each school
that receives an apple award shall be provided with a twenty-five
thousand dollar grant to be used for capital construction purposes that
have been selected by students in the school and approved by the
district's school directors. The funds may be used exclusively for
capital construction projects on school property or on other public
property in the community, city, or county in which the school is
located.
Sec. 15 RCW 28A.655.200 and 2009 c 539 s 1 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The legislature intends to permit school districts to offer
norm-referenced assessments, make diagnostic tools available to school
districts, and provide funding for diagnostic assessments to enhance
student learning at all grade levels and provide early intervention
before the high school ((Washington)) statewide student assessment ((of
student learning)).
(2) In addition to the diagnostic assessments provided under this
section, school districts may, at their own expense, administer norm-referenced assessments to students.
(3) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this
purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall
post on its web site for voluntary use by school districts, a guide of
diagnostic assessments. The assessments in the guide, to the extent
possible, shall include the characteristics listed in subsection (4) of
this section.
(4) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this
purpose, beginning September 1, 2007, the office of the superintendent
of public instruction shall make diagnostic assessments in reading,
((writing,)) mathematics, and science in elementary, middle, and high
school grades available to school districts. Subject to funds
appropriated for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of
public instruction shall also provide funding to school districts for
administration of diagnostic assessments to help improve student
learning, identify academic weaknesses, enhance student planning and
guidance, and develop targeted instructional strategies to assist
students before the high school ((Washington)) statewide student
assessment ((of student learning)). To the greatest extent possible,
the assessments shall be:
(a) Aligned to the state's grade level expectations;
(b) Individualized to each student's performance level;
(c) Administered efficiently to provide results either immediately
or within two weeks;
(d) Capable of measuring individual student growth over time and
allowing student progress to be compared to other students across the
country;
(e) Readily available to parents; and
(f) Cost-effective.
(5) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall
offer training at statewide and regional staff development activities
in:
(a) The interpretation of diagnostic assessments; and
(b) Application of instructional strategies that will increase
student learning based on diagnostic assessment data.
Sec. 16 RCW 28A.655.070 and 2008 c 163 s 2 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall develop
essential academic learning requirements that identify the knowledge
and skills all public school students need to know and be able to do
based on the student learning goals in RCW 28A.150.210, develop student
assessments, and implement the accountability recommendations and
requests regarding assistance, rewards, and recognition of the state
board of education.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall:
(a) Periodically revise the essential academic learning
requirements, as needed, based on the student learning goals in RCW
28A.150.210. Goals one and two shall be considered primary. To the
maximum extent possible, the superintendent shall integrate goal four
and the knowledge and skill areas in the other goals in the essential
academic learning requirements; and
(b) Review and prioritize the essential academic learning
requirements and identify, with clear and concise descriptions, the
grade level content expectations to be assessed on the ((Washington))
statewide student assessment ((of student learning)) and used for state
or federal accountability purposes. The review, prioritization, and
identification shall result in more focus and targeting with an
emphasis on depth over breadth in the number of grade level content
expectations assessed at each grade level. Grade level content
expectations shall be articulated over the grades as a sequence of
expectations and performances that are logical, build with increasing
depth after foundational knowledge and skills are acquired, and
reflect, where appropriate, the sequential nature of the discipline.
The office of the superintendent of public instruction, within seven
working days, shall post on its web site any grade level content
expectations provided to an assessment vendor for use in constructing
the ((Washington)) statewide student assessment ((of student
learning)).
(3)(a) In consultation with the state board of education, the
superintendent of public instruction shall maintain and continue to
develop and revise a statewide academic assessment system in the
content areas of reading, ((writing,)) mathematics, and science for use
in the elementary, middle, and high school years designed to determine
if each student has mastered the essential academic learning
requirements identified in subsection (1) of this section. School
districts shall administer the assessments under guidelines adopted by
the superintendent of public instruction. The academic assessment
system may include a variety of assessment methods, including
criterion-referenced and performance-based measures.
(b) Effective with the 2009 administration of the ((Washington))
statewide student assessment ((of student learning)), the
superintendent shall redesign the assessment in the content areas of
reading, mathematics, and science in all grades except high school by
shortening test administration and reducing the number of short answer
and extended response questions.
(4) If the superintendent proposes any modification to the
essential academic learning requirements or the statewide assessments,
then the superintendent shall, upon request, provide opportunities for
the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate
to review the assessments and proposed modifications to the essential
academic learning requirements before the modifications are adopted.
(5) The assessment system shall be designed so that the results
under the assessment system are used by educators as tools to evaluate
instructional practices, and to initiate appropriate educational
support for students who have not mastered the essential academic
learning requirements at the appropriate periods in the student's
educational development.
(6) By September 2007, the results for reading and mathematics
shall be reported in a format that will allow parents and teachers to
determine the academic gain a student has acquired in those content
areas from one school year to the next.
(7) To assist parents and teachers in their efforts to provide
educational support to individual students, the superintendent of
public instruction shall provide as much individual student performance
information as possible within the constraints of the assessment
system's item bank. The superintendent shall also provide to school
districts:
(a) Information on classroom-based and other assessments that may
provide additional achievement information for individual students; and
(b) A collection of diagnostic tools that educators may use to
evaluate the academic status of individual students. The tools shall
be designed to be inexpensive, easily administered, and quickly and
easily scored, with results provided in a format that may be easily
shared with parents and students.
(8) To the maximum extent possible, the superintendent shall
integrate knowledge and skill areas in development of the assessments.
(9) Assessments for goals three and four of RCW 28A.150.210 shall
be integrated in the essential academic learning requirements and
assessments for goals one and two.
(10) The superintendent shall develop assessments that are directly
related to the essential academic learning requirements, and are not
biased toward persons with different learning styles, racial or ethnic
backgrounds, or on the basis of gender.
(11) The superintendent shall consider methods to address the
unique needs of special education students when developing the
assessments under this section.
(12) The superintendent shall consider methods to address the
unique needs of highly capable students when developing the assessments
under this section.
(13) The superintendent shall post on the superintendent's web site
lists of resources and model assessments in social studies, the arts,
and health and fitness.
Sec. 17 RCW 28B.15.067 and 2012 2nd sp.s. c 7 s 914 and 2012 c
228 s 6 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1) Tuition fees shall be established under the provisions of this
chapter.
(2) Beginning in the 2011-12 academic year, reductions or increases
in full-time tuition fees shall be as provided in the omnibus
appropriations act for resident undergraduate students at community and
technical colleges. The governing boards of the state universities,
regional universities, and The Evergreen State College; and the state
board for community and technical colleges may reduce or increase full-time tuition fees for all students other than resident undergraduates,
including nonresident students, summer school students, and students in
other self-supporting degree programs. Percentage increases in full-time tuition may exceed the fiscal growth factor. Except during the
2011-2013 fiscal biennium, the state board for community and technical
colleges may pilot or institute differential tuition models. The board
may define scale, scope, and rationale for the models.
(3)(a) Beginning with the 2011-12 academic year and through the end
of the 2014-15 academic year, the governing boards of the state
universities, the regional universities, and The Evergreen State
College may reduce or increase full-time tuition fees for all students,
including summer school students and students in other self-supporting
degree programs. Percentage increases in full-time tuition fees may
exceed the fiscal growth factor. Reductions or increases may be made
for all or portions of an institution's programs, campuses, courses, or
students; however, during the 2011-2013 fiscal biennium, reductions or
increases in tuition must be uniform among resident undergraduate
students.
(b) Prior to reducing or increasing tuition for each academic year,
the governing boards of the state universities, the regional
universities, and The Evergreen State College shall consult with
existing student associations or organizations with student
undergraduate and graduate representatives regarding the impacts of
potential tuition increases. Each governing board shall make public
its proposal for tuition and fee increases twenty-one days before the
governing board of the institution considers adoption and allow
opportunity for public comment. However, the requirement to make
public a proposal for tuition and fee increases twenty-one days before
the governing board considers adoption shall not apply if the omnibus
appropriations act has not passed the legislature by May 15th.
Governing boards shall be required to provide data regarding the
percentage of students receiving financial aid, the sources of aid, and
the percentage of total costs of attendance paid for by aid.
(c) Prior to reducing or increasing tuition for each academic year,
the state board for community and technical college system shall
consult with existing student associations or organizations with
undergraduate student representation regarding the impacts of potential
tuition increases. The state board for community and technical
colleges shall provide data regarding the percentage of students
receiving financial aid, the sources of aid, and the percentage of
total costs of attendance paid for by aid.
(4) Beginning with the 2015-16 academic year through the 2018-19
academic year, the governing boards of the state universities, regional
universities, and The Evergreen State College may set tuition for
resident undergraduates as follows:
(a) If state funding for a college or university falls below the
state funding provided in the operating budget for fiscal year 2011,
the governing board may increase tuition up to the limits set in (d) of
this subsection, reduce enrollments, or both;
(b) If state funding for a college or university is at least at the
level of state funding provided in the operating budget for fiscal year
2011, the governing board may increase tuition up to the limits set in
(d) of this subsection and shall continue to at least maintain the
actual enrollment levels for fiscal year 2011 or increase enrollments
as required in the omnibus appropriations act;
(c) If state funding is increased so that combined with resident
undergraduate tuition the sixtieth percentile of the total per-student
funding at similar public institutions of higher education in the
global challenge states under RCW 28B.15.068 is exceeded, the governing
board shall decrease tuition by the amount needed for the total per-student funding to be at the sixtieth percentile under RCW 28B.15.068;
and
(d) The amount of tuition set by the governing board for an
institution under this subsection (4) may not exceed the sixtieth
percentile of the resident undergraduate tuition of similar public
institutions of higher education in the global challenge states.
(5) The tuition fees established under this chapter shall not apply
to high school students enrolling in participating institutions of
higher education under RCW 28A.600.300 through 28A.600.400.
(6) The tuition fees established under this chapter shall not apply
to eligible students enrolling in a dropout reengagement program
through an interlocal agreement between a school district and a
community or technical college under RCW 28A.175.100 through
28A.175.110.
(7) ((The tuition fees established under this chapter shall not
apply to eligible students enrolling in a community or technical
college participating in the pilot program under RCW 28B.50.534 for the
purpose of obtaining a high school diploma.)) Beginning in the 2019-20 academic year, reductions or
increases in full-time tuition fees for resident undergraduates at
four-year institutions of higher education shall be as provided in the
omnibus appropriations act.
(8)
(((9))) (8) The legislative advisory committee to the committee on
advanced tuition payment established in RCW 28B.95.170 shall:
(a) Review the impact of differential tuition rates on the funded
status and future unit price of the Washington advanced college tuition
payment program; and
(b) No later than January 14, 2013, make a recommendation to the
appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature regarding
how differential tuition should be addressed in order to maintain the
ongoing solvency of the Washington advanced college tuition payment
program.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 18 The following acts or parts of acts are
each repealed:
(1) RCW 28A.155.045 (Certificate of individual achievement) and
2007 c 354 s 3 & 2004 c 19 s 104;
(2) RCW 28A.180.100 (Continuing education plan for older students)
and 2004 c 19 s 105;
(3) RCW 28A.600.405 (Participation in high school completion pilot
program -- Eligible students -- Funding allocations -- Rules -- Information for
students and parents) and 2012 1st sp.s. c 10 s 4 & 2007 c 355 s 4;
(4) RCW 28A.655.0611 (Graduation without certificate of academic
achievement or certificate of individual achievement) and 2009 c 17 s
1 & 2007 c 354 s 4;
(5) RCW 28A.655.063 (Objective alternative assessments--Reimbursement of costs -- Testing fee waivers) and 2007 c 354 s 7 & 2006
c 115 s 5;
(6) RCW 28A.655.065 (Objective alternative assessment methods--Appeals from assessment scores -- Waivers and appeals from assessment
requirements -- Rules) and 2009 c 556 s 19, 2008 c 170 s 205, 2007 c 354
s 6, & 2006 c 115 s 1; and
(7) RCW 28B.50.534 (High school completion pilot program) and 2007
c 355 s 3.