Legislative Update #1 Changes in Assessment and Graduation 83 rd Texas Legislature

House Bill 5

 Rumors v. Fact  What is in…  What is out…  What Changed?

HB 5 What is in… … and what is out…

What is in…  Math  Grades 3-8  Reading  Grades 3-8  Writing  Grades 4 and 7  Science  Grades 5 and 8  Social Studies  Grade 8

What is in…  Algebra I EOC  Biology EOC  U.S. History EOC  English I EOC  Reading and Writing will be combined starting next spring  English II EOC  Reading and Writing will be combined starting next spring  All will be required for graduation

What is still in…  Algebra II EOC and English III EOC  Will not be administered until  Are not required for graduation  Do not have specific performance requirements  Will be administered ONLY on a voluntary basis  Cannot be used for accountability, teacher evaluations, grades, class rank, or college

What is still in…  Districts are required to provide accelerated instruction to students who fail STAAR  Including any of the five remaining EOCs

What is still in…  Assigned Testing Days for  English I  English II  A One-Week Testing Window for  Algebra I  Biology  U.S. History

What is out…  Geometry EOC  Chemistry EOC  Physics EOC  World History EOC  World Geography EOC

What is out…  EOC cumulative score toward graduation  EOC Level 1 minimum scores to count toward the cumulative score  15% requirement for EOCs

HB 5 What changed?

What changed? – General EOC Info  EOC scores will be converted to a 100 point scale  Satisfactory performance on other assessments (e.g. AP, IB, SAT, ACT) in equivalent courses can substitute for performance on STAAR EOC assessments.

What changed? – English I and II EOCs  English I and II EOCs will be combined into a single assessment starting in spring  Students who have currently passed one assessment but not the other (e.g., passed English I reading but not English I writing) will still need to pass the second assessment to meet graduation requirements by fall 2013.

What changed? -- English I and II EOCs  Students who have not successfully met their graduation requirements for English I or II by spring 2014 will need to take the new combined reading and writing assessment.

What changed? -- STAAR Release Timelines  Requires the agency to release general STAAR assessments for grades 3–8 and EOC (first spring form only) and STAAR Spanish assessments for grades 3–5 (first spring form only) in  2012–2013  2013–2014  2014–2015  2015–2016

What changed? -- STAAR Release Timelines  Requires the agency to release STAAR Modified for grades 3–8 and EOC (first spring form only) in  2013–2014  2014–2015  2015–2016  Requires the agency to release general STAAR, STAAR Spanish, and STAAR Modified every third year thereafter.

What changed? -- STAAR Release Timelines  TEA will release the general STAAR and the STAAR Spanish assessments administered in spring 2013 (first administration only).  15 EOC assessments  Grades 3–8 assessments  Grades 3–5 Spanish assessments  2013 STAAR release tests will be posted on the TEA Student Assessment website in early August.

What changed? -- Miscellaneous Testing Issues  Requires the agency to notify districts of results within 21 days of administration.  Requires accelerated students to double test so they have scores to use for AYP in grades 3–8 and in high school, e.g., grade 8 math and Algebra I.  Requires the agency to redevelop STAAR Alternate with no teacher requirement to prepare tasks or materials.  The new assessment must be administered no later than 2014–2015.

What changed? -- Miscellaneous Testing Issues  Requires the commissioner to establish assessment administration procedures that minimize disruptions to school operations and classroom environments.  Prohibits districts from removing students from class for remedial tutoring or test preparation for more than 10% of the school day.  Limits the number of benchmark assessments to two per state assessment.

What changed? -- Graduation  Minimum, Recommended, and Distinguished High School programs are to remain for students entering grade 9 BEFORE  A transition plan will be published during the year to be in effect by

What changed? -- Graduation  Personal Graduation Plans (PGPs) will be completed for all students entering grade 9 starting in the school year.  Establishment of a 22 credit Foundation School Program.  Students completing their fourth year during the school year that do not meet their current plan can opt into the Foundation Program.

What changed? -- Graduation  5 New Graduation Endorsements of 26 credits each ( )  Multidisciplinary  Includes a “Distinguished Level of Achievement”  Variety of advanced courses  Multiple content areas  STEM Endorsement  Public Services  Arts and Humanities  Business and Industry

What changed? -- Graduation  Each student must choose an endorsement -- in writing – upon entering 9 th grade.

What changed? -- Graduation  Students can earn a “performance acknowledgement” on their diploma or transcript for starting in for outstanding performance:  In a dual credit course  Bilingualism or biliteracy  On an AP or IB test  PSAT, PLAN, SAT or ACT  Or for earning a nationally / internationally recognized business or industry certification or license

What changed? -- Counseling  Each elementary, middle, and junior high counselor must advise students and parents on the importance of postsecondary education.  Each year during high school, counselors must review information pertaining to endorsements, performance acknowledgements, and distinguished levels of achievement.

What changed? -- Counseling  When students first register for high school districts must provide notice of the requirements for higher education automatic admission.  Written notice signed by the counselor, parent and student must be given to juniors and seniors in the top 10% of their graduating class.

What changed? -- Accountability  New report-only indicators for:  Distinguished level of achievement  Students completing endorsements  College readiness benchmarks  Postsecondary credit, associate’s degrees, or industry certifications earned

What changed? -- Accountability  Creation of an A-F accountability system for districts in  A-C “Acceptable”  D-F “Unacceptable”  Campus ratings revert to Exemplary, Recognized, Acceptable, and Unacceptable in

What changed? -- Accountability  Creates a new dashboard that requires TEA to develop and maintain a website separate from its own for the public to be able to access campus and district accountability information.

House Bill 866

HB 866  All students must be tested in:  Mathematics at grades 3, 5, and 8  Reading at grades 3, 5, and 8  Writing at grades 4 and 7  Science at grades 5 and 8  Social studies at grade 8  Requires the commissioner to request a waiver from USDE to not test high performing students at certain grades.

HB 866  Requires testing for students who do not meet or exceed the “minimum satisfactory adjusted scale score” in  Mathematics at grades 4, 6, and 7  Reading at grades 4, 6, and 7  Perhaps Level III students?

HB 2694/SB 1365

 Changes to Credit by Exam  Must include  AP Exams  3 or Higher  College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)  60% or Higher

HB 2694/SB 1365  CBEs must be offered at least four times per year  Students can only take them twice  Lowers the CBE without instruction score from 90% to 80%