H-3644.1

HOUSE BILL 2653

ByRepresentatives Thai, Ybarra, Bergquist, Goodman, Ortiz-Self, Sells, Lovick, Valdez, Entenman, Callan, Senn, Gregerson, Leavitt, Ramos, Pollet, Davis, and Kloba

AN ACT Relating to determining cultural bias in kindergarten assessments; creating new sections; repealing RCW 28A.655.080; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

(a) Have Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills materials reviewed by experts trained in identifying cultural bias and by representatives of culturally and linguistically diverse subgroups;

(b) Ensure that processes used to develop the inventory are inclusive of diverse student subgroups and large enough to constitute a representative sample;

(c) Eliminate items that produce the largest racial and cultural performance gaps, and select items that produce the smallest gaps;

(d) Screen for and eliminate items, references, and terms that are more likely to be offensive to certain groups;

(e) Determine if the training teachers get to implement the inventory addresses implicit bias; and

(f) Make recommendations to the legislature based on its findings.

(2) The work group must include:

(a) One representative from the office of the superintendent of public instruction;

(b) One representative from the department of children, youth, and families;

(c) One representative from the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee;

(d) Five representatives, including three teachers determined by the Washington education association and two principals determined by the association of Washington state principals, who are currently using the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills; and

(e) Two parents chosen by the Washington state parent teacher association.

(3) The work group may contract with an expert in examining cultural bias in assessments.

(4) A report and recommendations must be submitted to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives and the education opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee by December 1, 2020. A subsequent report on the recommendations implemented and analysis of student scores must be submitted to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives and the education opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee by December 1, 2021.

(5) For purposes of this section:

(a) "Inventory" means the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills.

(b) A test is considered biased when the scores of one group are significantly different and have higher predictive validity, which is the extent to which a score on an assessment predicts future performance, than another group.

(6) This section expires December 1, 2022.

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