SF 1408

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/06/2015 08:43am

A bill for an act
relating to education; requiring a minimum score on certain assessments in order
to receive a high school diploma; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections
120B.02, subdivision 2; 120B.30, subdivision 1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.02, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Graduation requirements.

To graduate from high school, students must
demonstrate to their enrolling school district or school their satisfactory completion of
the credit requirements under section 120B.024 and their understanding of new text begin required
new text end academic standards new text begin by achieving the minimum scores as set under section 120B.30, new text end on a
nationally normed college entrance exam new text begin , college placement diagnostic exam, or high
school Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment new text end . A school district must adopt graduation
requirements that meet or exceed state graduation requirements established in law or rule.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment
and applies beginning with all students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2014-2015 school year
and later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Statewide testing.

(a) The commissioner, with advice from experts
with appropriate technical qualifications and experience and stakeholders, consistent
with subdivision 1a, shall include in the comprehensive assessment system, for each
grade level to be tested, state-constructed tests developed as computer-adaptive reading
and mathematics assessments for students that are aligned with the state's required
academic standards under section 120B.021, include multiple choice questions, and are
administered annually to all students in grades 3 through 7. Reading and mathematics
assessments for all students in grade 8 must be aligned with the state's required reading and
mathematics standards, be administered annually, and include multiple choice questions.
State-developed high school tests aligned with the state's required academic standards
under section 120B.021 and administered to all high school students in a subject other than
writing must include multiple choice questions. The commissioner shall establish one or
more months during which schools shall administer the tests to students each school year.

(1) Students enrolled in grade 8 through the 2009-2010 school year are eligible
to be assessed under (i) the graduation-required assessment for diploma in reading,
mathematics, or writing under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1,
paragraphs (c), clauses (1) and (2), and (d), (ii) the WorkKeys job skills assessment, (iii)
the Compass college placement test, (iv) the ACT assessment for college admission, or (v)
a nationally recognized armed services vocational aptitude test.

(2) Students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2010-2011 or 2011-2012 school year are
eligible to be assessed under (i) the graduation-required assessment for diploma in reading,
mathematics, or writing under Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision
1, paragraph (c), clauses (1) and (2), (ii) the WorkKeys job skills assessment, (iii) the
Compass college placement test, (iv) the ACT assessment for college admission, or (v) a
nationally recognized armed services vocational aptitude test.

(3) For students under clause (1) or (2), a school district may substitute a score from
an alternative, equivalent assessment to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph.

(b) The state assessment system must be aligned to the most recent revision of
academic standards as described in section 120B.023 in the following manner:

(1) mathematics;

(i) grades 3 through 8 beginning in the 2010-2011 school year; and

(ii) high school level beginning in the 2013-2014 school year;

(2) science; grades 5 and 8 and at the high school level beginning in the 2011-2012
school year; and

(3) language arts and reading; grades 3 through 8 and high school level beginning in
the 2012-2013 school year.

(c) For students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2012-2013 school year and later, students'
state graduation requirements, based on a longitudinal, systematic approach to student
education and career planning, assessment, instructional support, and evaluation, include
the following:

(1) new text begin for students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years,
new text end demonstrate understanding of required academic standards on a nationally normed college
entrance exam new text begin or for students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2014-2015 school year and later,
consistent with reasonable accommodations and modifications under IDEA and section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and in conformance with a student's IEP, if any, demonstrate
understanding of required academic standards by achieving the minimum scores as set
under paragraph (d), clause (6), on a nationally normed college entrance exam, college
placement diagnostic exam, or high school Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment new text end ;

(2) achievement and career and college readiness tests in mathematics, reading, and
writing, consistent with paragraph (e) and to the extent available, to monitor students'
continuous development of and growth in requisite knowledge and skills; analyze
students' progress and performance levels, identifying students' academic strengths and
diagnosing areas where students require curriculum or instructional adjustments, targeted
interventions, or remediation; and, based on analysis of students' progress and performance
data, determine students' learning and instructional needs and the instructional tools and
best practices that support academic rigor for the student; and

(3) consistent with this paragraph and section 120B.125, age-appropriate exploration
and planning activities and career assessments to encourage students to identify personally
relevant career interests and aptitudes and help students and their families develop a
regularly reexamined transition plan for postsecondary education or employment without
need for postsecondary remediation.

Based on appropriate state guidelines, students with an individualized education program
may satisfy state graduation requirements by achieving an individual score on the
state-identified alternative assessments.

Expectations of schools, districts, and the state for career or college readiness under
this subdivision must be comparable in rigor, clarity of purpose, and rates of student
completion. A student under clause (2) must receive targeted, relevant, academically
rigorous, and resourced instruction, which may include a targeted instruction and
intervention plan focused on improving the student's knowledge and skills in core subjects
so that the student has a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without need
for postsecondary remediation. Consistent with sections 120B.13, 124D.09, 124D.091,
124D.49, and related sections, an enrolling school or district must actively encourage a
student in grade 11 or 12 who is identified as academically ready for a career or college
to participate in courses and programs awarding college credit to high school students.
deleted text begin Students are not required to achieve a specified score or level of proficiency on an
assessment under this subdivision to graduate from high school.
deleted text end

(d) To improve the secondary and postsecondary outcomes of all students, the
alignment between secondary and postsecondary education programs and Minnesota's
workforce needs, and the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of secondary and postsecondary
programs, the commissioner, after consulting with the chancellor of the Minnesota State
Colleges and Universities and using a request for proposal process, shall contract for
a series of assessments that are consistent with this subdivision, aligned with state
academic standards, and include career and college readiness benchmarks. Mathematics,
reading, and writing assessments for students in grades 8 and 10 must be predictive of a
nationally normed assessment for career and college readiness. This nationally recognized
assessment must be a college entrance exam and given to students in grade 11. This
series of assessments must include a college placement diagnostic exam and contain
career exploration elements. The commissioner and the chancellor of the Minnesota
State Colleges and Universities must collaborate in aligning instruction and assessments
for adult basic education students and English learners to provide the students with
diagnostic information about any targeted interventions, accommodations, modifications,
and supports they need so that assessments and other performance measures are accessible
to them and they may seek postsecondary education or employment without need for
postsecondary remediation. When administering formative or summative assessments
used to measure the academic progress, including the oral academic development, of
English learners and inform their instruction, schools must ensure that the assessments are
accessible to the students and students have the modifications and supports they need to
sufficiently understand the assessments.

(1) Districts and schools, on an annual basis, must use the career exploration
elements in these assessments to help students, beginning no later than grade 9, and their
families explore and plan for postsecondary education or careers based on the students'
interests, aptitudes, and aspirations. Districts and schools must use timely regional labor
market information and partnerships, among other resources, to help students and their
families successfully develop, pursue, review, and revise an individualized plan for
postsecondary education or a career. This process must help increase students' engagement
in and connection to school, improve students' knowledge and skills, and deepen students'
understanding of career pathways as a sequence of academic and career courses that lead
to an industry-recognized credential, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree and are
available to all students, whatever their interests and career goals.

(2) Students in grade 10 or 11 not yet academically ready for a career or college based
on their growth in academic achievement between grades 8 and 10 must take the college
placement diagnostic exam before taking the college entrance exam under clause (3).
Students, their families, the school, and the district can then use the results of the college
placement diagnostic exam for targeted instruction, intervention, or remediation and
improve students' knowledge and skills in core subjects sufficient for a student to graduate
and have a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without remediation.

(3) All students except those eligible for alternative assessments must be given the
college entrance part of these assessments in grade 11. A student under this clause who
demonstrates attainment of required state academic standards, which include career and
college readiness benchmarks, on these assessments is academically ready for a career or
college and is encouraged to participate in courses awarding college credit to high school
students. Such courses and programs may include sequential courses of study within
broad career areas and technical skill assessments that extend beyond course grades.

(4) As appropriate, students through grade 12 must continue to participate in targeted
instruction, intervention, or remediation and be encouraged to participate in courses
awarding college credit to high school students.

(5) A study to determine the alignment between these assessments and state
academic standards under this chapter must be conducted. Where alignment exists, the
commissioner must seek federal approval to, and immediately upon receiving approval,
replace the federally required assessments referenced under subdivision 1a and section
120B.35, subdivision 2, with assessments under this paragraph.

new text begin (6) The chancellor of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities or the chancellor's
designee shall, in consultation with the commissioner of education, determine:
new text end

new text begin (i) the minimum scores on the reading, mathematics, and English sections of a college
entrance exam or high school Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment that demonstrate
preparedness for entry into a two- or four-year bachelor or associate degree program;
new text end

new text begin (ii) the minimum scores on the reading, mathematics, and English sections of
a college entrance exam or high school Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment that
demonstrate preparedness for entry into a certificate-level program; and
new text end

new text begin (iii) the minimum scores on the reading, mathematics, and English sections of a
college placement diagnostic exam or high school Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment
that demonstrate a level that is a necessary prerequisite for minimally acceptable
comprehension of credit-bearing courses or programs at the college or university. Students
are required to achieve a specified score under item (i), (ii), or (iii) to graduate from high
school. A district or charter school must indicate on a student's transcript the student's
qualifying graduation exam and scores under item (i), (ii), or (iii). A district or charter
school may award an academic achievement seal to a student with qualifying scores under
item (i) and may affix the seal to the student's diploma.
new text end

(e) In developing, supporting, and improving students' academic readiness for a
career or college, schools, districts, and the state must have a continuum of empirically
derived, clearly defined benchmarks focused on students' attainment of knowledge and
skills so that students, their parents, and teachers know how well students must perform to
have a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without need for postsecondary
remediation. The commissioner, in consultation with local school officials and educators,
and Minnesota's public postsecondary institutions must ensure that the foundational
knowledge and skills for students' successful performance in postsecondary employment
or education and an articulated series of possible targeted interventions are clearly
identified and satisfy Minnesota's postsecondary admissions requirements.

(f) For students in grade 8 in the 2012-2013 school year and later, a school, district,
or charter school must record on the high school transcript a student's progress toward
career and college readiness, and for other students as soon as practicable.

(g) The school board granting students their diplomas may formally decide to
include a notation of high achievement on the high school diplomas of those graduating
seniors who, according to established school board criteria, demonstrate exemplary
academic achievement during high school.

(h) The 3rd through 7th grade computer-adaptive assessment results and grade 8
and high school test results shall be available to districts for diagnostic purposes affecting
student learning and district instruction and curriculum, and for establishing educational
accountability. The commissioner must establish empirically derived benchmarks on
adaptive assessments in grades 3 through 7 that reveal a trajectory toward career and
college readiness. The commissioner must disseminate to the public the computer-adaptive
assessments, grade 8, and high school test results upon receiving those results.

(i) The grades 3 through 7 computer-adaptive assessments and grade 8 and high
school tests must be aligned with state academic standards. The commissioner shall
determine the testing process and the order of administration. The statewide results shall
be aggregated at the site and district level, consistent with subdivision 1a.

(j) The commissioner shall include the following components in the statewide
public reporting system:

(1) uniform statewide computer-adaptive assessments of all students in grades 3
through 7 and testing at the grade 8 and high school levels that provides appropriate,
technically sound accommodations or alternate assessments;

(2) educational indicators that can be aggregated and compared across school
districts and across time on a statewide basis, including average daily attendance, high
school graduation rates, and high school drop-out rates by age and grade level;

(3) state results on the American College Test; and

(4) state results from participation in the National Assessment of Educational
Progress so that the state can benchmark its performance against the nation and other
states, and, where possible, against other countries, and contribute to the national effort
to monitor achievement.

(k) For purposes of statewide accountability, "career and college ready" means a
high school graduate has the knowledge, skills, and competencies to successfully pursue a
career pathway, including postsecondary credit leading to a degree, diploma, certificate, or
industry-recognized credential and employment. Students who are career and college ready
are able to successfully complete credit-bearing coursework at a two- or four-year college
or university or other credit-bearing postsecondary program without need for remediation.

(l) For purposes of statewide accountability, "cultural competence," "cultural
competency," or "culturally competent" means the ability and will to interact effectively
with people of different cultures, native languages, and socioeconomic backgrounds.