Read first time 01/17/08.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to the revision of the mathematics standards; amending RCW 28A.305.215; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature intends that the revised mathematics standards by the office of the superintendent of public instruction will set higher expectations for Washington's students by fortifying content and increasing rigor; provide greater clarity, specificity, and measurability about what is expected of students in each grade; supply more explicit guidance to educators about what to teach and when; enhance the relevance of mathematics to students' lives; and ultimately result in more Washington students having the opportunity to be successful in mathematics. Additionally, the revised mathematics standards should restructure the standards to make clear the importance of all aspects of mathematics: Mathematics content including the standard algorithms, conceptual understanding of the content, and the application of mathematical processes within the content.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.305.215 and 2007 c 396 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The activities in this section revise and strengthen the state learning standards that implement the goals of RCW 28A.150.210, known as the essential academic learning requirements, and improve alignment of school district curriculum to the standards.
     (2) The state board of education shall be assisted in its work under subsections (3), (4), and (5) of this section by: (a) An expert national consultant in each of mathematics and science retained by the state board; and (b) the mathematics and science advisory panels created under RCW 28A.305.219, as appropriate, which shall provide review and formal comment on proposed recommendations to the superintendent of public instruction and the state board of education on new revised standards and curricula.
     (3) By September 30, 2007, the state board of education shall recommend to the superintendent of public instruction revised essential academic learning requirements and grade level expectations in mathematics. The recommendations shall be based on:
     (a) Considerations of clarity, rigor, content, depth, coherence from grade to grade, specificity, accessibility, and measurability;
     (b) Study of:
     (i) Standards used in countries whose students demonstrate high performance on the trends in international mathematics and science study and the programme for international student assessment;
     (ii) College readiness standards;
     (iii) The national council of teachers of mathematics focal points and the national assessment of educational progress content frameworks; and
     (iv) Standards used by three to five other states, including California, and the nation of Singapore; and
     (c) Consideration of information presented during public comment periods.
     (4)(a) By ((January 31)) February 29, 2008, the superintendent of public instruction shall revise the essential academic learning requirements and the grade level expectations for mathematics and present the revised standards to the state board of education and the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives as required by RCW 28A.655.070(4). ((The superintendent shall adopt the revised essential academic learning requirements and grade level expectations unless otherwise directed by the legislature during the 2008 legislative session.))
     (b) The state board of education shall direct an expert national consultant in mathematics to:
     (i) Analyze the February 2008 version of the revised standards, including a comparison to exemplar standards previously reviewed under this section;
     (ii) Recommend specific language and content changes needed to finalize the revised standards; and
     (iii) Present findings and recommendations in a draft report to the state board of education.
     (c) By May 15, 2008, the state board of education shall review the consultant's draft report, consult the mathematics advisory panel, hold a public hearing to receive comment, and direct any subsequent modifications to the consultant's report. After the modifications are made, the state board of education shall forward the final report and recommendations to the superintendent of public instruction for implementation.
     (d) By July 1, 2008, the superintendent of public instruction shall revise the mathematics standards to conform precisely to and incorporate each of the recommendations of the state board of education under subsection (4)(c) of this section and submit the revisions to the state board of education.
     (e) By July 31, 2008, the state board of education shall either approve adoption by the superintendent of public instruction of the final revised standards as the essential academic learning requirements and grade level expectations for mathematics, or develop a plan for ensuring that the recommendations under subsection (4)(c) of this section are implemented so that final revised mathematics standards can be adopted by September 25, 2008.
     (5) By June 30, 2008, the state board of education shall recommend to the superintendent of public instruction revised essential academic learning requirements and grade level expectations in science. The recommendations shall be based on:
     (a) Considerations of clarity, rigor, content, depth, coherence from grade to grade, specificity, accessibility, and measurability;
     (b) Study of standards used by three to five other states and in countries whose students demonstrate high performance on the trends in international mathematics and science study and the programme for international student assessment; and
     (c) Consideration of information presented during public comment periods.
     (6) By December 1, 2008, the superintendent of public instruction shall revise the essential academic learning requirements and the grade level expectations for science and present the revised standards to the state board of education and the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives as required by RCW 28A.655.070(4). The superintendent shall adopt the revised essential academic learning requirements and grade level expectations unless otherwise directed by the legislature during the 2009 legislative session.
     (7)(a) By May 15, 2008, the superintendent of public instruction shall present to the state board of education recommendations for no more than three basic mathematics curricula each for elementary, middle, and high school grade spans.
     (b) By June 30, 2008, the state board of education shall provide official comment and recommendations to the superintendent of public instruction regarding the recommended mathematics curricula. The superintendent of public instruction shall make any changes based on the comment and recommendations from the state board of education and adopt the recommended curricula.
     (c) By May 15, 2009, the superintendent of public instruction shall present to the state board of education recommendations for no more than three basic science curricula each for elementary, middle, and high school grade spans.
     (d) By June 30, 2009, the state board of education shall provide official comment and recommendations to the superintendent of public instruction regarding the recommended science curricula. The superintendent of public instruction shall make any changes based on the comment and recommendations from the state board of education and adopt the recommended curricula.
     (e) In selecting the recommended curricula under this subsection (7), the superintendent of public instruction shall provide information to the mathematics and science advisory panels created under RCW 28A.305.219, as appropriate, and seek the advice of the appropriate panel regarding the curricula that shall be included in the recommendations.
     (f) The recommended curricula under this subsection (7) shall align with the revised essential academic learning requirements and grade level expectations. In addition to the recommended basic curricula, appropriate diagnostic and supplemental materials shall be identified as necessary to support each curricula.
     (g) Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose and availability of the curricula, at least one of the curricula in each grade span and in each of mathematics and science shall be available to schools and parents online at no cost to the school or parent.
     (8) By December 1, 2007, the state board of education shall revise the high school graduation requirements under RCW 28A.230.090 to include a minimum of three credits of mathematics, one of which may be a career and technical course equivalent in mathematics, and prescribe the mathematics content in the three required credits.
     (9) Nothing in this section requires a school district to use one of the recommended curricula under subsection (7) of this section. However, the statewide accountability plan adopted by the state board of education under RCW 28A.305.130 shall recommend conditions under which school districts should be required to use one of the recommended curricula. The plan shall also describe the conditions for exception to the curriculum requirement, such as the use of integrated academic and career and technical education curriculum. Required use of the recommended curricula as an intervention strategy must be authorized by the legislature as required by RCW 28A.305.130(4)(e) before implementation.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   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.