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S.F. No. 605 - Graduation Required Assessment for Diploma (GRAD) Mathematics Requirements Exception Removal; High School Assessment for College and Career Readiness Determination and Establishment
 
Author: Senator Sean R. Nienow
 
Prepared By:
 
Date: April 8, 2011



 

Section 1.  Statewide testing.  Limits the exception for students who do not pass the graduation-required assessment for diploma to receive a diploma under certain situations from those students who enter the third grade from the 2005-2006 school year to the 2008-2009 school year instead of the 2009-2010 school year.

Effective Date.  Makes this section effective July 1, 2011.

Section 2. High school assessments. 

Paragraph (a) requires the commissioner to establish a system of high school assessments that provides information on college and career readiness of Minnesota students.  Defines college and career readiness to mean the knowledge and skills that a high school graduate needs to undertake either credit-bearing coursework at a two-year or four-year college or university or career-track employment.

Paragraph (b) requires the commissioner to establish and administer a reading a writing exam at the end of grade 10.  Requires the exam to:

(1)  align with standards;

(2)  produce independent scores for each content area;

(3)  include both multiple choice and open-ended items on the reading portion;

(4)  be designed for computer administration and scoring and return results within five days;

(5)  allow for remediation sooner than six weeks after the previous administration;

(6)  use achievement level descriptors;

(7)  require all general education students to achieve passing scores to graduate;

(8)  require general education students to participate in remediation if they do not receive a passing score;

(9)  provide a state-level student appeals process not to exceed two percent of students in each graduating class;

(10)  allow an eligible student to meet this exam requirement through alternative methods including:

(i)  for students who transfer to a Minnesota school, passing another state’s federally accountable exam;

(ii)  for students who have an IEP, achieve passing status at an individual level

(iii)  a waiver for students who are English language learners and who have been enrolled for four or fewer school years.

Paragraph (c) Requires all general education students to receive a passing score in reading and writing and requires the commissioner to establish the passing score that indicates performance that meets grade-level standards.

Paragraph (d) Requires the commissioner to establish statewide end-of-course exams in high school algebra and biology.  Requires the exam to:

(1)  align with standards;

(2)  include both multiple choice and open-ended items on the reading portion;

(3)  be designed for computer administration and scoring and return results within five days;

(4)  be administered at regular intervals that align with the most common high school schedules;

(5)  generate achievement levels established through a professionally recognized methodology;

(6)  use achievement level descriptors;

(7)  require all general education students to achieve passing scores to graduate;

(8)  require a student who does not pass  to:

(i)  retake the course or complete a credit recovery class; and

(ii)  retake the end-of-course assessment; and

(9)  allow an eligible student to meet this requirement through alternative methods including:

(i) for students who transfer to a Minnesota school, passing another state’s federally accountable exam;

(ii)  for students who have an IEP, achieve passing status at an individual level; and

(iii)  a waiver for students who are English language learners and who have been enrolled for four or fewer school years.

Paragraph (e) Makes the requirements of this subdivision applicable to students in public schools who enter grade 8 in the 2012-2013 school year or later. Requires the commissioner to establish a transition period.

Paragraph (f) Requires the commissioner to provide districts with benchmark assessments that are aligned with the high school assessments developed in this act and an item bank for creating formative assessments to help students prepare for the assessments developed in this act.

Paragraph (g) Requires the commissioner to expand the membership and purpose of the Assessment Advisory Committee and requires the committee to report annually to the commissioner and legislature.

Paragraph (h) Prohibits the commissioner from beginning to develop additional statewide end-of-course exams in geometry, chemistry, or physics until specifically authorized in law to do so.

Paragraph (i) Requires a district or charter school to indicate on a student’s transcript the student’s level of college and career readiness after the levels have been established through a professionally recognized methodology.

Section 3.  Assessment Advisory Committee; Recommendations.     

Paragraph (a) requires the Committee to develop recommendations for alternative methods by which students meet the reading and writing exam.  The Committee must consider allowing students to:

(1)  achieve a college-credit score on a college-level examination (CLEP); and

(2)  achieve a college readiness score in the relevant subject area on the ACT or SAT.

Paragraph (b) Requires the Committee to develop recommendations for alternative methods by  which students satisfy the algebra and biology requirements.  The Committee must consider allowing students to:

(1)  achieve a college-credit score on a college-level examination (CLEP);

(2)  achieve a college readiness score in the relevant subject area on the ACT or SAT; and

(3)  pass a credit-bearing course in college algebra or biology or a more advance course in either subject with a grade of C or better.

Paragraph (c) requires the Committee to develop recommendations for the administrative structure, criteria, and processes for implementing the state-level student appeals process.

Paragraph (d) requires the Committee to submit its recommendations to the commissioner and the legislature by February 15, 2013.

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