S-1856.1

SENATE BILL 6040


State of Washington	64th Legislature	2015 Regular Session

By Senator Chase

Read first time 02/19/15. Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

AN ACT Relating to the state educational assessment system; amending RCW 28A.230.195; adding a new section to chapter 28A.655 RCW; creating new sections; and recodifying RCW 28A.230.195.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that an effective assessment system is balanced, improves and informs classroom instruction, and provides useful information to all levels of the educational system, including students, parents, teachers, schools, school districts, and the state. The legislature further finds that a key element of a balanced and useful assessment system is instructionally supportive formative assessments. The legislature intends to ensure the sharing of useful assessment information with parents and teachers and to take steps to evaluate how the state can successfully move away from using a summative assessment as the state's assessment system.

(1) If students' numerical scores on the ((test or)) state assessments under RCW 28A.655.070, and beginning with the 2015-16 school year on the formative assessments provided by the state, indicate that students need help in identified areas, the teacher, school, and school district shall evaluate ((its)) the instructional practices being used and make appropriate adjustments to improve student learning.

(2) Each school district shall notify the teacher and parents of each student of their child's ((performance)) numerical score on the test and assessments conducted under ((this chapter)) RCW 28A.655.070, and beginning with the 2015-16 school year on the formative assessments provided by the state, in addition to whether the student has met, not met, or exceeded the state standard.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall convene a technical work group to review the long-term and short-term recommendations of the legislative working group on the Washington assessment of student learning in its December 30, 2008, report. The work group shall determine which recommendations are relevant to the current state assessment system and should be implemented to improve the balance of the state assessment system and move away from using a summative assessment as the state's assessment system. The technical work group must report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate by December 15, 2015.