AN ACT Relating to authorizing the academic achievement and accountability commission to set performance improvement goals for certain disaggregated groups of students and dropout goals; and amending RCW 28A.655.030.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 28A.655.030 and 1999 c 388 s 102 are each amended to read as follows:

The powers and duties of the academic achievement and accountability commission shall include, but are not limited to the following:

(1) For purposes of statewide accountability, the commission shall:

(a) Adopt and revise performance improvement goals in reading, writing, science, and mathematics by subject and grade level as the commission deems appropriate to improve student learning, once assessments in these subjects are required statewide. 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, 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 commission may establish school and school district goals addressing high school graduation rates and dropout reduction goals for students in grades seven through twelve. The goals shall be in addition to any goals adopted in RCW 28A.655.050. The commission may also revise any goal adopted in RCW 28A.655.050. The commission shall adopt the goals by rule. However, before each goal is implemented, the commission 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 Washington assessment of student learning and determine student scores that identify levels of student performance below and beyond the standard. The commission 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;

(c) Adopt objective, systematic criteria to identify successful schools and school districts and recommend to the superintendent of public instruction schools and districts to be recognized for two types of accomplishments, student achievement and improvements in student achievement. Recognition for improvements in student achievement shall include consideration of one or more of the following accomplishments:

(i) An increase in the percent of students meeting standards. The level of achievement required for recognition may be based on the achievement goals established by the legislature under RCW 28A.655.050 and the commission under (a) of this subsection;

(ii) Positive progress on an improvement index that measures improvement in all levels of the assessment; and

(iii) Improvements despite challenges such as high levels of mobility, poverty, English as a second language learners, and large numbers of students in special populations as measured by either the percent of students meeting the standard, or the improvement index.

When determining the baseline year or years for recognizing individual schools, the commission may use the assessment results from the initial years the assessments were administered, if doing so with individual schools would be appropriate;

(d) Adopt objective, systematic criteria to identify schools and school districts in need of assistance and those in which significant numbers of students persistently fail to meet state standards. In its deliberations, the commission shall consider the use of all statewide mandated criterion-referenced and norm-referenced standardized tests;

(e) Identify schools and school districts in which state intervention measures will be needed and a range of appropriate intervention strategies, beginning no earlier than June 30, 2001, and after the legislature has authorized a set of intervention strategies. Beginning no earlier than June 30, 2001, and after the legislature has authorized a set of intervention strategies, at the request of the commission, the superintendent shall intervene in the school or school district and take corrective actions. This chapter does not provide additional authority for the commission or the superintendent of public instruction to intervene in a school or school district;

(f) Identify performance incentive systems that have improved or have the potential to improve student achievement;

(g) 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;

(h) Annually report 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. The report may include recommendations of actions to help improve student achievement;

(i) By December 1, 2000, and by December 1st annually thereafter, report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate on the progress that has been made in achieving the reading goal under RCW 28A.655.050 and any additional goals adopted by the commission;

(j) Coordinate its activities with the state board of education and the office of the superintendent of public instruction;

(k) Seek advice from the public and all interested educational organizations in the conduct of its work; and

(l) Establish advisory committees, which may include persons who are not members of the commission;

(2) Holding meetings and public hearings, which may include regional meetings and hearings;

(3) Hiring necessary staff and determining the staff's duties and compensation. However, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide staff support to the commission until the commission has hired its own staff, and shall provide most of the technical assistance and logistical support needed by the commission thereafter. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall 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; and

(4) Receiving per diem and travel allowances as permitted under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.