AN
ACT Relating to student assessments; amending RCW 28A.300.310, 28A.300.320,
28A.230.190, 28A.230.230, 28A.630.885, 28A.230.250, and 28A.230.195; adding a
new section to chapter 28A.230 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW
28A.230.210, 28A.230.220, and 28A.230.240; repealing 1998 c 225 s 3
(uncodified); repealing 1995 c 209 s 3 (uncodified); repealing 1995 c 209 s 2
and 1992 c 141 s 203 (uncodified); and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Part
1
Second Grade Accuracy and Fluency
Assessment
Sec.
101. RCW
28A.300.310 and 1997 c 262 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
The superintendent of public instruction shall identify a collection of ((tests))
reading passages and assessment procedures that can be used to measure
second grade oral reading accuracy and fluency skills. The purpose of
the second grade reading ((test)) assessment is to provide
information to parents, teachers, and school administrators on the level of
acquisition of oral reading accuracy and fluency skills of each student
at the beginning of second grade. The assessment procedures and each of
the ((tests)) reading passages in the collection must:
(a)
Provide a reliable and valid measure of (([a])) a student's oral
reading accuracy and fluency skills;
(b)
Be able to be individually administered;
(c)
Have been approved by a panel of nationally recognized professionals in the
area of beginning reading, whose work has been published in peer-reviewed
education research journals, and professionals in the area of measurement and
assessment; and
(d)
Assess student skills in recognition of letter sounds, phonemic awareness, word
recognition, and reading connected text. Text used for the test of fluency
must be ordered in relation to difficulty.
(2)
The superintendent of public instruction shall select ((tests)) reading
passages for use by schools and school districts participating in pilot
projects under RCW 28A.300.320 during the 1997-98 school year. The final
collection must be selected by June 30, 1998. The superintendent of public
instruction may add reading passages to the initial list if the passages are
comparable in format to the initial passages approved by the expert panel in
subsection (1) of this section.
(3)
The superintendent of public instruction shall develop a per-pupil cost for ((each
of)) the ((tests)) assessments in the collection that details
the costs for administering the assessments, booklets, scoring ((services)),
and training required to reliably administer the test. To the extent funds are
appropriated, the superintendent of public instruction shall pay for the
cost of administering and scoring the assessments, booklets or other ((testing))
assessment material, ((scoring services,)) and training required
to administer the test.
Sec.
102. RCW
28A.300.320 and 1998 c 319 s 201 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
The superintendent of public instruction shall create a pilot project to
identify which second grade reading ((tests)) assessments
selected under RCW 28A.300.310 will be included in the final collection of ((tests))
assessments that must be available by June 30, 1998.
(2)
Schools and school districts may voluntarily participate in the second grade
reading test pilot projects in the 1997-98 school year. Schools and school
districts voluntarily participating in the pilot project test are not required
to have the results available by the fall parent-teacher conference.
(3)(a)
Starting in the 1998-99 school year, school districts must select ((a test))
an assessment from the collection adopted by the superintendent of
public instruction. Selection must be at the entire school district level ((and
must remain in place at that school district for at least three years)).
(b)
The second grade reading ((test)) assessment selected by the
school district must be administered annually in the fall beginning with the
1998-99 school year. Students who score substantially below grade level when
((tested)) assessed in the fall shall be ((tested)) assessed
at least one more time during the second grade. ((Test)) Assessment
performance deemed to be "substantially below grade level" is to be
determined for each ((test)) passage in the collection by the
superintendent of public instruction ((during the pilot year of 1997-98)).
(c)
If a student, while taking the ((test)) assessment, reaches a point
at which the student's performance will be considered "substantially below
grade level" regardless of the student's performance on the remainder of
the ((test)) assessment, the ((test)) assessment
may be discontinued.
(d)
Each school must have the ((test)) assessment results available
by the fall parent-teacher conference. Schools must notify parents about the
second grade reading ((test)) assessment during the conferences,
inform the parents of their students' performance on the ((test)) assessment,
identify actions the school intends to take to improve the child's reading
skills, and provide parents with strategies to help the parents improve their
child's score.
Part
2
Changes to Third Grade
Basic Skills Norm-Referenced Test
Sec.
201. RCW
28A.230.190 and 1998 c 319 s 202 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
School districts shall ((test)) assess students for second grade
reading accuracy and fluency skills starting in the 1998-99 school year as
provided in RCW 28A.300.320.
(2)
The superintendent of public instruction shall prepare and conduct, with the
assistance of school districts, a norm-referenced standardized achievement test
to be given annually to all pupils in grade three. The test shall assess
students' basic skills in reading and mathematics((, and shall
focus upon appropriate input variables)). Results of such tests and
relevant student, school, and district characteristics shall be compiled annually
by the superintendent of public instruction, who shall make those results
available annually to the public, to the legislature, to all local
school districts, and subsequently to parents of those children tested.
The results shall allow parents to ascertain the achievement levels ((and
input variables)) of their children as compared with the other students
within the district, the state, and((, if applicable,)) the
nation.
(((3)
The superintendent of public instruction shall report annually to the legislature
on the achievement levels of students in grade three.))
Part
3
Sixth Grade Basic
Skills Norm-Referenced Test
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 301. A
new section is added to chapter 28A.230 RCW to read as follows:
The
superintendent of public instruction shall prepare and conduct, with the
assistance of school districts, a norm-referenced standardized achievement test
to be given annually to all pupils in grade six. The test shall assess
students' basic skills in reading/language arts and mathematics. Results of
such tests and relevant student, school, and district characteristics shall be
compiled by the superintendent of public instruction, who shall make those
results available annually to the public, to the legislature, to all local
school districts, and subsequently to parents of those children tested. The
results shall allow parents to ascertain the achievement levels of their
children as compared with the other students within the district, the state,
and the nation.
Part
4
Ninth
Grade Norm-Referenced Test
and
Interest Inventory
Sec.
401. RCW
28A.230.230 and 1990 c 101 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
The superintendent of public instruction shall prepare and conduct, with the
assistance of school districts, an annual assessment of all students in the ((eighth))
ninth grade. The purposes of the assessment are to assist students,
parents, and teachers in the planning and selection of appropriate high school
courses for students and to provide information about students' current
academic proficiencies both in the basic skills of reading((,))/language
arts and mathematics, ((and language,)) and in the reasoning and
thinking skills essential for successful entry into those courses required for
high school graduation. The assessment shall also include the collection of
information about students' interests and plans for high school and beyond and
((may)) shall include the collection of other related student and
school information. The superintendent of public instruction shall make the
results of the assessment and relevant student, school, and district
characteristics available annually to the public, to the legislature,
and to all school districts, which shall in turn make them available
to students, parents, and teachers in a timely fashion ((and in a manner
consistent with the purposes of RCW 28A.230.220 through 28A.230.260)).
(2)
Upon request, the superintendent of public instruction shall make available to
requesting school districts the inventory used to collect information about
students' interests and plans for high school and beyond for use by students in
the eighth grade. To the extent funds are appropriated, the superintendent
shall provide the inventory, tabulation services, and reporting at no cost or
at reduced cost to school districts.
Part
5
Washington
Assessment of Student Learning - Science,
Social Studies, Arts,
Health, and Fitness Assessments
Sec.
501. RCW
28A.630.885 and 1998 c 225 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
The Washington commission on student learning is hereby established. The
primary purposes of the commission are to 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, to develop student assessment and school
accountability systems, to review current school district data reporting
requirements and make recommendations on what data is necessary for the
purposes of accountability and meeting state information needs, and to take
other steps necessary to develop a performance-based education system. The
commission shall include three members of the state board of education, three
members appointed by the governor before July 1, 1992, and five members
appointed no later than June 1, 1993, by the governor elected in the November
1992 election. The governor shall appoint a chair from the commission members,
and fill any vacancies in gubernatorial appointments that may occur. The state
board of education shall fill any vacancies of state board of education
appointments that may occur. In making the appointments, educators, business
leaders, and parents shall be represented, and nominations from state-wide
education, business, and parent organizations shall be requested. Efforts
shall be made to ensure that the commission reflects the racial and ethnic
diversity of the state's K-12 student population and that the major geographic
regions in the state are represented. Appointees shall be qualified
individuals who are supportive of educational restructuring, who have a
positive record of service, and who will devote sufficient time to the
responsibilities of the commission to ensure that the objectives of the
commission are achieved.
(2)
The commission shall establish advisory committees. Membership of the advisory
committees shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, professionals from
the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the state board of
education, and other state and local educational practitioners and student
assessment specialists.
(3)
The commission, with the assistance of the advisory committees, shall:
(a)
Develop essential academic learning requirements based on the student learning
goals in RCW 28A.150.210. Essential academic learning requirements shall be
developed, to the extent possible, for each of the student learning goals in
RCW 28A.150.210. Goals one and two shall be considered primary. Essential
academic learning requirements for RCW 28A.150.210(1), goal one, and the
mathematics component of RCW 28A.150.210(2), goal two, shall be completed no
later than March 1, 1995. Essential academic learning requirements that
incorporate the remainder of RCW 28A.150.210 (2), (3), and (4), goals two,
three, and four, shall be completed no later than March 1, 1996. To the
maximum extent possible, the commission shall integrate goal four and the
knowledge and skill areas in the other goals in the development of the
essential academic learning requirements;
(b)(i)
The commission and superintendent of public instruction shall ((present
to the state board of education and superintendent of public instruction)) develop
a state-wide academic assessment system for use in the elementary, middle, and
high school years designed to determine if each student has ((mastered))
learned the essential academic learning requirements identified in (a)
of this subsection. The academic assessment system shall include a variety of
assessment methods, including criterion-referenced and performance-based
measures. Performance standards for determining if a student has successfully
completed an assessment shall be ((initially)) determined by the
commission and the superintendent of public instruction in consultation
with the advisory committees required in subsection (2) of this section.
(ii)
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)) learned the essential academic learning
requirements at the appropriate periods in the student's educational
development.
(iii)
Assessments measuring the essential academic learning requirements ((developed
for RCW 28A.150.210(1) and the mathematics component of RCW 28A.150.210(2)
referred to in this section as reading, writing, communications, and
mathematics shall be developed and initially implemented by the commission
before transferring the assessment system to the superintendent of public
instruction on June 30, 1999. The elementary assessments for reading, writing,
communications, and mathematics shall be available for use by school districts
no later than the 1996-97 school year, the middle school assessment no later
than the 1997-98 school year, and the high school assessment no later than the
1998-99 school year, unless the legislature takes action to delay or prevent
implementation of the assessment system and essential academic learning
requirements. Assessments measuring the essential academic learning
requirements developed for the science component of RCW 28A.150.210(2) at the
middle school and high school levels shall be available for use by districts no
later than the 1998-99 school year)) shall be available for voluntary
use by school districts and shall be required to be administered by school
districts according to the following schedule unless the legislature takes
action to delay or prevent implementation of the assessment system and
essential academic learning requirements.
Assessments Assessments
available
for required to be
voluntary
use administered
(School
years) (School years)
Reading,
Writing,
Communication,
Mathematics
-
Elementary school 1996-97 1997-98
-
Middle school 1997-98 2000-01
-
High school 1998-99 2000-01
Science
-
Middle and high school 1999-00 2000-01
-
Elementary school 2001-02 2004-05
Social
Studies
-
Elementary, middle, 2002-03 2005-06
and high school
Arts
-
Middle and high school 2003-04 2006-07
-
Elementary school 2003-04 2007-08
Health,
Fitness
-
Middle and high school 2003-04 2006-07
-
Elementary school 2003-04 2007-08
The
completed assessments and assessments still in development shall be transferred
by the commission on student learning to the superintendent of public
instruction by June 30, 1999((, unless the legislature takes action to delay
implementation of the assessment system and essential academic learning
requirements. The superintendent shall continue the development of assessments
on the following schedule: The history, civics, and geography assessments at
the middle and high school levels shall be available for use by districts no
later than the 2000-01 school year; the arts assessment for middle and high
school levels shall be available for use by districts no later than the 2000-01
school year; and the health and fitness assessments for middle and high school
levels shall be available no later than the 2001-02 school year. The
elementary science assessment shall be available for use by districts not later
than the 2001-02 school year. The commission or the superintendent, as
applicable, 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. By December 15, 1998, the
commission on student learning shall recommend to the appropriate committees of
the legislature a revised timeline for implementing these assessments and when
the school districts should be required to participate. All school districts
shall be required to participate in the history, civics, geography, arts,
health, fitness, and elementary science assessments in the third year after the
assessments are available to school districts)).
(iv)
To the maximum extent possible, the commission and the superintendent of
public instruction shall integrate knowledge and skill areas in development
of the assessments.
(((iv)))
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. ((Before the 1997-98 school year, the elementary assessment system in
reading, writing, communications, and mathematics shall be optional. School
districts that desire to participate before the 1997-98 school year shall notify
the commission on student learning in a manner determined by the commission.
Beginning in the 1997-98 school year, school districts shall be required to
participate in the elementary assessment system for reading, writing,
communications, and mathematics. Before the 2000-01 school year, participation
by school districts in the middle school and high school assessment system for
reading, writing, communications, mathematics, and science shall be optional.
School districts that desire to participate before the 1998-99 school year
shall notify the commission on student learning in a manner determined by the
commission on student learning. Schools that desire to participate after the
1998-99 school year, shall notify the superintendent of public instruction in a
manner determined by the superintendent. Beginning in the 2000-01 school year,
all school districts shall be required to participate in the assessment system
for reading, writing, communications, mathematics, and science.))
(v)
The commission on student learning may modify the essential academic learning
requirements and the assessments ((for reading, writing, communications,
mathematics, and science)), as needed, before June 30, 1999. The
superintendent of public instruction may modify the essential academic learning
requirements and the assessments, as needed, after June 30, 1999. The
commission and 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.
(vi)
The commission and the superintendent of public instruction 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;
(c)
After a determination is made by the state board of education that the high
school assessment system has been implemented and that it is sufficiently
reliable and valid, successful completion of the high school assessment shall
lead to a certificate of mastery. The certificate of mastery shall be obtained
by most students at about the age of sixteen, and is evidence that the student
has successfully mastered the essential academic learning requirements during
his or her educational career. The certificate of mastery shall be required
for graduation but shall not be the only requirement for graduation. The
commission shall make recommendations to the state board of education regarding
the relationship between the certificate of mastery and high school graduation
requirements. Upon achieving the certificate of mastery, schools shall provide
students with the opportunity to pursue career and educational objectives
through educational pathways that emphasize integration of academic and
vocational education. Educational pathways may include, but are not limited
to, programs such as work-based learning, school-to-work transition, tech prep,
vocational-technical education, running start, and preparation for technical
college, community college, or university education. Any middle school, junior
high school, or high school using educational pathways shall ensure that all
participating students will continue to have access to the courses and
instruction necessary to meet admission requirements at baccalaureate
institutions. Students shall be allowed to enter the educational pathway of
their choice. Before accepting a student into an educational pathway, the
school shall inform the student's parent of the pathway chosen, the
opportunities available to the student through the pathway, and the career
objectives the student will have exposure to while pursuing the pathway.
Parents and students dissatisfied with the opportunities available through the
selected educational pathway shall be provided with the opportunity to transfer
the student to any other pathway provided in the school. Schools may not develop
educational pathways that retain students in high school beyond the date they
are eligible to graduate, and may not require students who transfer between
pathways to complete pathway requirements beyond the date the student is
eligible to graduate;
(d)
Consider methods to address the unique needs of special education students when
developing the assessments in (b) and (c) of this subsection;
(e)
Consider methods to address the unique needs of highly capable students when
developing the assessments in (b) and (c) of this subsection;
(f)
Develop recommendations on the time, support, and resources, including
technical assistance, needed by schools and school districts to help students
achieve the essential academic learning requirements. These recommendations
shall include an estimate for the legislature, superintendent of public
instruction, and governor on the expected cost of implementing the academic
assessment system;
(g)
Develop recommendations for consideration by the higher education coordinating
board for adopting college and university entrance requirements for public
school students that are consistent with the essential academic learning
requirements and the certificate of mastery;
(h)
Review current school district data reporting requirements for the purposes of
accountability and meeting state information needs. The commission on student
learning shall report recommendations to the joint select committee on education
restructuring by September 15, 1996, on:
(i)
What data is necessary to compare how school districts are performing before
the essential academic learning requirements and the assessment system are
implemented with how school districts are performing after the essential
academic learning requirements and the assessment system are implemented; and
(ii)
What data is necessary pertaining to school district reports under the
accountability systems developed by the commission on student learning under this
section;
(i)
Recommend to the legislature, governor, state board of education, and
superintendent of public instruction:
(i)
A state-wide accountability system to monitor and evaluate accurately and
fairly at elementary, middle, and high schools the level of learning occurring
in individual schools and school districts with regard to the goals included in
RCW 28A.150.210 (1) through (4). The accountability system must assess each
school individually against its own baseline, schools with similar characteristics,
and schools state-wide. The system shall include school-site, school district,
and state-level accountability reports;
(ii)
A school assistance program to help schools and school districts that are
having difficulty helping students meet the essential academic learning
requirements as measured by performance on the elementary, middle school, and
high school assessments;
(iii)
A system to intervene in schools and school districts in which significant
numbers of students persistently fail to learn the essential academic learning
requirements or meet the standards established for the elementary, middle
school, and high school assessments; and
(iv)
An awards program to provide incentives to school staff to help their students
learn the essential academic learning requirements, with each school being
assessed individually against its own baseline, schools with similar
characteristics, and the state-wide average. Incentives shall be based on the
rate of percentage change of students achieving the essential academic learning
requirements and progress on meeting the state-wide average. School staff
shall determine how the awards will be spent.
The
commission shall make recommendations regarding a state-wide accountability
system for reading in grades kindergarten through four by November 1, 1997.
Recommendations for an accountability system in the other subject areas and
grade levels shall be made no later than June 30, 1999;
(j)
Report annually by December 1st to the legislature, the governor, the
superintendent of public instruction, and the state board of education on the
progress, findings, and recommendations of the commission; and
(k)
Make recommendations to the legislature and take other actions necessary or
desirable to help students meet the student learning goals.
(4)
The commission shall coordinate its activities with the state board of
education and the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
(5)
The commission shall seek advice broadly from the public and all interested educational
organizations in the conduct of its work, including holding periodic regional
public hearings.
(6)
The commission shall select an entity to provide staff support and the office
of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide administrative
oversight and be the fiscal agent for the commission. The commission may
direct the office of the superintendent of public instruction to enter into
subcontracts, within the commission's resources, with school districts,
teachers, higher education faculty, state agencies, business organizations, and
other individuals and organizations to assist the commission in its
deliberations.
(7)
Members of the commission shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided
in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
(8)(a)
By September 30, 1997, the commission on student learning, the state board of
education, and the superintendent of public instruction shall jointly present
recommendations to the education committees of the house of representatives and
the senate regarding the high school assessments, the certificate of mastery,
and high school graduation requirements.
In
preparing recommendations, the commission on student learning shall convene an
ad hoc working group to address questions, including:
(i)
What type of document shall be used to identify student performance and
achievement and how will the document be described?
(ii)
Should the students be required to pass the high school assessments in all
skill and content areas, or only in select skill and content areas, to
graduate?
(iii)
How will the criteria for establishing the standards for passing scores on the
assessments be determined?
(iv)
What timeline should be used in phasing-in the assessments as a graduation
requirement?
(v)
What options may be used in demonstrating how the results of the assessments
will be displayed in a way that is meaningful to students, parents,
institutions of higher education, and potential employers?
(vi)
Are there other or additional methods by which the assessments could be used to
identify achievement such as endorsements, standards of proficiency, merit
badges, or levels of achievement?
(vii)
Should the assessments and certificate of mastery be used to satisfy college or
university entrance criteria for public school students? If yes, how should
these methods be phased-in?
(b)
The ad hoc working group shall report its recommendations to the commission on
student learning, the state board of education, and the superintendent of
public instruction by June 15, 1997. The commission shall report the ad hoc
working group's recommendations to the education committees of the house of
representatives and senate by July 15, 1997. Final recommendations of the
commission on student learning, the state board of education, and the
superintendent of public instruction shall be presented to the education
committees of the house of representatives and the senate by September 30,
1997.
(9)
The Washington commission on student learning shall expire on June 30, 1999.
Part
6
Miscellaneous
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 601. Part
headings used in this act are not any part of the law.
Sec.
602. RCW
28A.230.250 and 1990 c 101 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
The
superintendent of public instruction shall coordinate both the procedures and
the content of the ((eighth and eleventh grade assessments)) tests
and assessments required by the state to maximize the value of the
information provided to students as they progress ((from eighth grade
through high school)) and to teachers and parents about students' talents,
interests, and academic needs or deficiencies so that appropriate programs can
be provided to enhance the likelihood of students' success both in ((terms
of high)) school ((graduation)) and beyond ((high school)).
Sec.
603. RCW
28A.230.195 and 1992 c 141 s 401 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
If students' scores on the test or assessments under RCW 28A.230.190,
28A.230.230, and ((28A.230.240)) 28A.630.885 indicate that
students need help in identified areas, the school district shall ((adjust
the curriculum in the identified areas)) evaluate its instructional
practices and make appropriate adjustments.
(2)
Each school district shall notify the parents of each student of their child's
performance on the test and assessments conducted under this chapter.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 604. The
following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
(1) RCW
28A.230.210 (Washington life skills test--Development and
review--Use by school districts) and 1984 c 278 s 11;
(2) RCW
28A.230.220 (High school and beyond assessment program) and 1990 c
101 s 1; and
(3) RCW 28A.230.240
(Annual assessment of eleventh grade students) and 1990 c 101 s 3.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 605. The
following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
(1) 1998 c
225 s 3 (uncodified);
(2) 1995 c
209 s 3 (uncodified); and
(3) 1995 c
209 s 2 & 1992 c 141 s 203 (uncodified).
NEW SECTION. Sec. 606.
Section 605 of this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the
public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its
existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.
