SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5803

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.

Background: In 2013 the Legislature created a process for school districts to follow when a student in third grade scores below basic on the statewide English language arts (ELA) assessment. Below basic means at level one in a four-level scoring system. The process requires a meeting with the student's parent or guardian, teacher, and the school's principal before the end of the school year to discuss appropriate grade placement and recommended strategies to improve the student's reading skills. For students to be placed in the fourth grade the strategies discussed must include a summer program or other options identified by the parents, teacher, and principal to prepare the student for fourth grade. School districts must obtain the parent's or guardian's consent regarding the grade placement and improvement strategy that must be implemented by the school district.

Summary of Bill: The process addressing third-grade students reading below grade level is changed. The meeting required with the student's parent or guardian, teacher, and the school's principal before the end of the year is eliminated. Instead, during spring meetings, teachers must inform the parents or guardians of a student who is reading below grade level or who is likely to score below basic on the statewide ELA assessment of the intensive reading improvement strategies that will be available to students before the fourth grade. The teacher must also provide the school district's grade placement policy. For students to be placed in fourth grade the strategies provided by the school district must include a summer program or other options to meet the needs of the student.

After the school receives the results of the third grade statewide ELA assessment, the principal must provide the parent or guardian of a student who scores below basic a list of intensive improvement strategy options that are available for the student and the school district employee who can provide additional information and answer questions. The principal must also provide a reasonable deadline for obtaining the parent's consent regarding the student's improvement strategies to be implemented and the student's grade placement. If the school district does not receive a response from a parent by the deadline or a reasonable time thereafter, the principal must decide the student's grade placement for the following year and the improvement strategies that will be implemented. If the principal and parent cannot agree on the appropriate grade placement and improvement strategies then the parent's request will be honored.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This is a common-sense adjustment on the legislation that passed in 2013 to give students a strong start in reading literacy. The current assessment timeline does not provide sufficient time for a meeting before the end of the school year. The spring parent-teacher conferences are a better time for meeting with the parents and will get interventions to students earlier than the current law. Thank you for not requiring retention since retention is not an effective intervention. Teachers are constantly gauging where students are in relation to where they should be to be so the teachers should be able to identify students who are performing below grade level. An earlier meeting also enables districts to better plan for summer programs. While we do not believe in using test scores for grade promotion, this bill fixes the problem of requiring a meeting with parents outside of the meetings bargained by the school districts; therefore it relieves school districts from an unfunded burden. Please fast track this bill so it can provide guidance to districts for this year’s spring conferences.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Dammeier, prime sponsor; Wendy Rader-Konofalski, WA Education Assn.; Charlie Brown, Tacoma School District; Chrys Sweeting, Glenn Malone, Traci Frank, Puyallup School District; Jessica Vavrus, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning; Shauna Heath, Seattle Public Schools; Jerry Bender, Assn. of WA School Principals.