HF 3629

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing a temporary, three-year appeals process for
high school seniors who do not receive a passing score on the state GRAD
test; directing the education commissioner to evaluate this process and make
recommendations; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 120B.36, by
adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 120B.36, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 1a. new text end

new text begin GRAD test appeals. new text end

new text begin (a) Consistent with this subdivision, the
commissioner must collaborate with high school teachers, high school administrators,
parents of high school students, school district assessment directors, higher education
faculty with expertise in kindergarten through grade 12 education and assessment, and
other interested experts and stakeholders to establish a timely, transparent, and data-based
appeals process that allows school districts, at their discretion, to grant a diploma to high
school seniors in the 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011 school years who do not
receive a passing score on the state reading or math GRAD test.
new text end

new text begin (b) A high school student in the 2008-2009, 2009-2010, or 2010-2011 school year
who does not receive a passing score on the state reading or math GRAD test by April of
the student's senior year may appeal to the chief administrator of the high school where
the student is enrolled, in the form and manner the commissioner determines, requesting
that the school district grant the student a high school diploma without passing the reading
or math GRAD test. The high school administrator, in collaboration with teachers and
other school staff selected by the administrator, must formally decide whether or not to
grant the student a high school diploma based on multiple, well-understood measures of
student learning that measurement experts have determined to be valid and reliable and
that are available to the educators deciding whether or not to grant the student's request.
School district officials must use the data that form the bases of the student appeals under
this subdivision, where appropriate, to revise district curriculum to ensure that all students
have an equal opportunity to learn and provide appropriate academic intervention and
remediation to students who fail to pass the state's reading or math GRAD test.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner must evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the appeals
process and recommend to the legislature by February 1, 2011, whether or not to continue
the appeals process under this subdivision. If the commissioner recommends continuing
this process, the commissioner also must recommend student performance levels for the
state reading and math GRAD tests and the appropriate indicators for school districts to
consider in deciding whether or not to grant a diploma to high school seniors who do not
receive a passing score on the state reading or math GRAD test.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment
and applies to the 2008-2009 through 2010-2011 school years.
new text end