SF 405

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 02:12am

A bill for an act
relating to education; creating an alternative means of graduation for students;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.30, subdivision 1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, 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 from and aligned with the
state's required academic standards under section 120B.021 and administered annually
to all students in grades 3 through 8 and at the high school level. A state-developed
test in a subject other than writing, developed after the 2002-2003 school year, must
include both deleted text begin machine-scoreable deleted text end new text begin multiple choice new text end and constructed response questions. The
commissioner shall establish one or more months during which schools shall administer
the tests to students each school year. For students enrolled in grade 8 before the
2005-2006 school year, deleted text begin only deleted text end Minnesota basic skills tests in reading, mathematics, and
writing shall fulfill students' basic skills testing requirements for a passing state notation.
The passing scores of basic skills tests in reading and mathematics are the equivalent of
75 percent correct for students entering grade 9 in 1997 and thereafter, as based on the
first uniform test administration of February 1998. new text begin Students who have not successfully
passed the Minnesota basic skills test by the end of the 2011-2012 school year must pass
the graduation-required assessment for diploma for students given at that time.
new text end

(b) For students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 school year and later, only the
following options shall fulfill students' state graduation test requirements:

(1) for reading and mathematics:

(i) obtaining an achievement level equivalent to or greater than proficient as
determined through a standard setting process on the Minnesota comprehensive
assessments in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics or achieving a passing
score as determined through a standard setting process on the graduation-required
assessment for diploma in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics or
subsequent retests;

(ii) achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process on the
state-identified language proficiency test in reading and the mathematics test for English
language learners or the graduation-required assessment for diploma equivalent of those
assessments for students designated as English language learners;

(iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment
for diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individual
education plan or 504 plan;

(iv) obtaining achievement level equivalent to or greater than proficient as
determined through a standard setting process on the state-identified alternate assessment
or assessments in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics for students with
an individual education plan; or

(v) achieving an individual passing score on the state-identified alternate assessment
or assessments as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an
individual education plan; and

(2) for writing:

(i) achieving a passing score on the graduation-required assessment for diploma;

(ii) achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process on
the state-identified language proficiency test in writing for students designated as English
language learners;

(iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment
for diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individual
education plan or 504 plan; or

(iv) achieving an individual passing score on the state-identified alternate assessment
or assessments as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an
individual education plan.

(c) new text begin For students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2005-2006 school year through the
2009-2010 school year who do not pass the state graduation-required assessment for
diploma in reading or mathematics, a student receives a passing state notation if the
following conditions are met:
new text end

new text begin (1) completion, with a passing grade, of all coursework and credits required by
section 120B.024 or the enrolling district's graduation standard, whichever is higher;
new text end

new text begin (2) participation in the district-prescribed remediation program in the failed subject;
and
new text end

new text begin (3) full participation in at least two retest attempts in each failed subject beyond the
initial spring administration of the graduation-required assessment for diploma.
new text end

new text begin (d) new text end The 3rd through 8th grade and high school level 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
disseminate to the public the test results upon receiving those results.

deleted text begin (d) deleted text end new text begin (e) new text end State tests must be constructed and aligned with state academic standards. The
testing process and the order of administration shall be determined by the commissioner.
The statewide results shall be aggregated at the site and district level, consistent with
subdivision 1a.

deleted text begin (e) deleted text end new text begin (f) new text end In addition to the testing and reporting requirements under this section, the
commissioner shall include the following components in the statewide public reporting
system:

(1) uniform statewide testing of all students in grades 3 through 8 and at the high
school level that provides appropriate, technically sound accommodations, alternate
assessments, or exemptions consistent with applicable federal law, only with parent or
guardian approval, for those very few students for whom the student's individual education
plan team under sections 125A.05 and 125A.06 determines that the general statewide test
is inappropriate for a student, or for a limited English proficiency student under section
124D.59, subdivision 2;

(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.