WSR 01-05-034

PROPOSED RULES

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND

ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION

[ Filed February 13, 2001, 4:28 p.m. ]

Original Notice.

Exempt from preproposal statement of inquiry under RCW 34.05.310(4).

Title of Rule: Performance improvement goals.

Purpose: As provided by RCW 28A.655.030 (1)(a), the Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission is authorized to adopt and revise performance improvement goals, including revisions to goals provided in RCW 28A.655.050. The purpose is to provide school districts with minimum performance improvement goals to encourage improved student learning as measured by increasing percentages of students meeting the reading and mathematics standards on the Washington assessment of student learning.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 28A.655.030 (1)(a).

Statute Being Implemented: RCW 28A.655.030 (1)(a).

Summary: The rule is intended to provide school districts with specific goals for how much student learning should improve in reading and mathematics as measured on the Washington assessment of student learning at grades 4, 7 and 10.

Reasons Supporting Proposal: It is believed that specific state expectations will help focus school and school district efforts to help continuously increasing percentages of students achieve the essential academic learning requirements for these critical subjects. Performance improvement goals have never been set for tenth grade reading or mathematics or seventh grade reading. Existing goals for fourth grade reading expire this year. Currently planned goals for mathematics at the fourth and seventh grades (in RCW 28A.655.050) may not be sufficiently rigorous.

Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Christopher M. Thompson, Old Capitol Building, 7th and Washington Street, (360) 586-9429; Implementation: Cheryl Mayo, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, (360) 753-0793.

Name of Proponent: Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission, governmental.

Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

Explanation of Rule, its Purpose, and Anticipated Effects: RCW 28A.655.030 (1)(a) authorizes the Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission to adopt and revise performance improvement goals, including revisions to goals provided in RCW 28A.655.050. The rule requires school districts to set goals for improving student learning on reading and mathematics as measured by the fourth, seventh and tenth grade Washington assessment of student learning. The minimum improvement expected is a reduction in the percentage of students not meeting the standard on each of the six assessments by 25% over the three years ending in the 2004 assessments, using the 2001 assessments as the baseline. The purpose of the rule is to assist and encourage school and school district staff to help increase the proportions of students meeting the learning expectations established by the state in RCW 28A.150.210 and 28A.655.060. It is anticipated that adoption of specific student learning improvement targets will focus and strategically concentrate efforts of staff sufficiently to increase significantly the percentage of students who meet state learning expectations.

Proposal does not change existing rules. No, the proposal does not change existing rules (in the Washington Administrative Code) but the proposal does change the provisions of RCW 28A.655.050 in accordance with RCW 28A.655.030 (1)(a), which authorizes the commission to revise RCW 28A.655.050 by rule. Current provisions of RCW 28A.655.050 contain a requirement for goals in mathematics for fourth and seventh grades. The proposal would require 2001 assessment results be used as the baseline for the goals, rather than permitting school districts to choose one from among up to three or four years' results (from 1998 to 2001).

No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. The rule does not apply to any small businesses nor to any other nongovernmental entity.

Section 201, chapter 403, Laws of 1995, does not apply to this rule adoption. RCW 34.05.328 does not apply to this rule adoption because the rule relates only to internal governmental operations that are not subject to violation by a nongovernment party.

Hearing Location: Tacoma School District Central Office Auditorium, 601 South 8th Avenue, Tacoma, WA, on April 2, 2001, at 9:00 a.m.

Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Debra Crawford by March 14, 2001, TDD (360) 664-3631, or (360) 586-9284.

Submit Written Comments to: Christopher M. Thompson, Executive Director, Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission, P.O. Box 47220, Olympia, WA 98504-7220, fax (360) 586-9429, by March 16, 2001.

Date of Intended Adoption: April 2, 2001.

February 12, 2001

Christopher M. Thompson

Executive Director

OTS-4674.1

Title 3 WAC
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION

Chapter 3-20 WAC

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT GOALS


NEW SECTION
WAC 3-20-100   Reading and mathematics.   (1) Each school district board of directors shall:

     (a) By December 15, 2001, establish three-year districtwide goals to increase the percentage of students who meet or exceed the standard on the Washington assessment of student learning for elementary school reading, elementary school mathematics, middle or junior high school reading, middle or junior high school mathematics, high school reading and high school mathematics. The baseline for all the performance improvement goals required under this section shall be the results obtained on the Washington assessment of student learning administered in the spring of 2001. The three-year percentage increase goals shall not be less than the district's total percentage of students who did not meet the baseline standard for the relevant subject and grade level multiplied by twenty-five percent; and

     (b) Direct each school in the district that administers the Washington assessment of student learning for grade four, seven, or ten to establish three-year goals relating to the percentage of students meeting the standard for its fourth, seventh or tenth grade students in reading and mathematics, subject to approval by the board. The aggregate of the school-level goals for any given subject and grade must meet or exceed the districtwide goals established by the board for that given subject and grade. Each school level goal shall not be less than the school's total percentage of students who did not meet the baseline standard for the relevant subject and grade level multiplied by twenty-five percent, unless the office of the superintendent of public instruction grants a waiver.

     (2) Schools and school districts that meet or exceed the level of performance stipulated under the three-year goal on the assessment administered in the spring of 2002 or 2003 may be considered to have exceeded the goal and may be recognized for having exceeded the goal early, but ultimately shall not be deemed to have met the three-year goal unless the school or school district also meets the goal on the assessment administered in the spring of 2004.

     (3) Schools and school districts in which ten or fewer students are eligible to be assessed in a grade level on the 2001 Washington assessment of student learning are not required to establish numerical improvement goals. Schools and school districts in which ten or fewer students are eligible to be assessed in a grade level on the assessment in 2002 or in a subsequent year are not required to establish performance relative to the goals.

     (4) For state level accountability purposes:

     (a) A school district shall be deemed to have met the performance improvement goals established pursuant to this chapter if the district achieves the minimum improvement level required under subsection (1)(a) of this section, even if the district does not achieve the performance improvement goals adopted by its board of directors; and

     (b) A school shall be deemed to have met the performance improvement goals established pursuant to this chapter if the school achieves the minimum improvement level required under subsection (1)(b) of this section, even if the school does not achieve the performance improvement goals adopted by its board of directors.

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