Bill Text: MN SF139 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Mathematics graduation required assessment for diploma (GRAD) test requirement replacement with end-of-course exam in high school algebra
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-28 - Referred to Education [SF139 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-SF139-Introduced.html
1.2relating to education; replacing the mathematics GRAD with an end-of-course
1.3algebra exam;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision
1.41, by adding a subdivision.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.7 Subdivision 1. Statewide testing. (a) The commissioner, with advice from experts
1.8with appropriate technical qualifications and experience and stakeholders, consistent with
1.9subdivision 1a, shall include in the comprehensive assessment system, for each grade
1.10level to be tested, state-constructed tests developed from and aligned with the state's
1.11required academic standards under section120B.021 , include multiple choice questions,
1.12and be administered annually to all students in grades 3 through 8. State-developed high
1.13school tests aligned with the state's required academic standards under section120B.021
1.14and administered to all high school students in a subject other than writing must include
1.15multiple choice questions. The commissioner shall establish one or more months during
1.16which schools shall administer the tests to students each school year. For students enrolled
1.17in grade 8 before the 2005-2006 school year, Minnesota basic skills tests in reading,
1.18mathematics, and writing shall fulfill students' basic skills testing requirements for a
1.19passing state notation. The passing scores of basic skills tests in reading and mathematics
1.20are the equivalent of 75 percent correct for students entering grade 9 based on the
1.21first uniform test administered in February 1998. Students who have not successfully
1.22passed a Minnesota basic skills test by the end of the 2011-2012 school year must pass
1.23the graduation-required assessments for diploma under paragraph (c), except that for
2.1the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years only, these students may satisfy the state's
2.2graduation test requirement for math by complying with paragraph (d), clauses (1) and (3).
2.3(b) The state assessment system must be aligned to the most recent revision of
2.4academic standards as described in section120B.023 in the following manner:
2.5(1) mathematics;
2.6(i) grades 3 through 8 beginning in the 2010-2011 school year; and
2.7(ii) high school level beginning in the 2013-2014 school year;
2.8(2) science; grades 5 and 8 and at the high school level beginning in the 2011-2012
2.9school year; and
2.10(3) language arts and reading; grades 3 through 8 and high school level beginning in
2.11the 2012-2013 school year.
2.12 (c) Except as provided in subdivision 1b, for students enrolled in grade 8 in the
2.132005-2006 school year and later, only the following options shall fulfill students' state
2.14graduation test requirements:
2.15 (1) for reading and mathematics:
2.16 (i) obtaining an achievement level equivalent to or greater than proficient as
2.17determined through a standard setting process on the Minnesota comprehensive
2.18assessments in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics or achieving a passing
2.19score as determined through a standard setting process on the graduation-required
2.20assessment for diploma in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics or
2.21subsequent retests;
2.22 (ii) achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process
2.23on the state-identified language proficiency test in reading and the mathematics test for
2.24English learners or the graduation-required assessment for diploma equivalent of those
2.25assessments for students designated as English learners;
2.26 (iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment for
2.27diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individualized
2.28education program or 504 plan;
2.29 (iv) obtaining achievement level equivalent to or greater than proficient as
2.30determined through a standard setting process on the state-identified alternate assessment
2.31or assessments in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics for students with
2.32an individualized education program; or
2.33 (v) achieving an individual passing score on the state-identified alternate assessment
2.34or assessments as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an
2.35individualized education program; and
2.36 (2) for writing:
3.1 (i) achieving a passing score on the graduation-required assessment for diploma;
3.2 (ii) achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process on
3.3the state-identified language proficiency test in writing for students designated as English
3.4learners;
3.5 (iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment for
3.6diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individualized
3.7education program or 504 plan; or
3.8 (iv) achieving an individual passing score on the state-identified alternate assessment
3.9or assessments as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an
3.10individualized education program.
3.11 (d) Students enrolled in grade 8 in any school year from the 2005-2006 school
3.12year to the 2009-2010 school year who do not pass the mathematics graduation-required
3.13assessment for diploma under paragraph (c) are eligible to receive a high school diploma
3.14if they:
3.15(1) complete with a passing score or grade all state and local coursework and credits
3.16required for graduation by the school board granting the students their diploma;
3.17(2) participate in district-prescribed academic remediation in mathematics; and
3.18 (3) fully participate in at least two retests of the mathematics GRAD test or until
3.19they pass the mathematics GRAD test, whichever comes first. A school, district, or charter
3.20school must place on the high school transcript a student's current pass status for each
3.21subject that has a required graduation assessment.
3.22In addition, the school board granting the students their diplomas may formally
3.23decide to include a notation of high achievement on the high school diplomas of those
3.24graduating seniors who, according to established school board criteria, demonstrate
3.25exemplary academic achievement during high school.
3.26(e) The 3rd through 8th grade and high school test results shall be available to
3.27districts for diagnostic purposes affecting student learning and district instruction and
3.28curriculum, and for establishing educational accountability. The commissioner must
3.29disseminate to the public the high school test results upon receiving those results.
3.30 (f) The 3rd through 8th grade and high school tests must be aligned with state
3.31academic standards. The commissioner shall determine the testing process and the order
3.32of administration. The statewide results shall be aggregated at the site and district level,
3.33consistent with subdivision 1a.
3.34 (g) In addition to the testing and reporting requirements under this section, the
3.35commissioner shall include the following components in the statewide public reporting
3.36system:
4.1 (1) uniform statewide testing of all students in grades 3 through 8 and at the high
4.2school level that provides appropriate, technically sound accommodations or alternate
4.3assessments;
4.4 (2) educational indicators that can be aggregated and compared across school
4.5districts and across time on a statewide basis, including average daily attendance, high
4.6school graduation rates, and high school drop-out rates by age and grade level;
4.7 (3) state results on the American College Test; and
4.8 (4) state results from participation in the National Assessment of Educational
4.9Progress so that the state can benchmark its performance against the nation and other
4.10states, and, where possible, against other countries, and contribute to the national effort
4.11to monitor achievement.
4.12 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, is amended by adding a subdivision
4.13to read:
4.14 Subd. 1b. End-of-course algebra exam. (a) The commissioner shall establish a
4.15statewide end-of-course exam in high school algebra. The exam must conform with
4.16the following:
4.17(1) align with the most recently revised academic content standards under section
4.18120B.023, subdivision 2;
4.19(2) include both multiple-choice and open-ended items that assess the appropriate
4.20algebra knowledge and skills contained in the state's academic content standards;
4.21(3) be designed for computer administration and scoring;
4.22(4) be administered at regular intervals that align with the most common high school
4.23schedules in Minnesota;
4.24(5) generate achievement levels established through a professionally recognized
4.25methodology;
4.26(6) comprise 25 percent of the student's overall course grade in the corresponding
4.27course;
4.28(7) require a student who does not pass a high school algebra course to (i)
4.29retake the course or complete a district-authorized credit recovery class, (ii) opt, at the
4.30student's election, to retake the end-of-course assessment within a regularly scheduled
4.31administration window, and (iii) have the student select the exam score on the initial test or
4.32the retest to count as the equivalent of 25 percent of the student's overall course grade; and
4.33(8) allow an eligible student to meet this requirement through an alternative method
4.34that demonstrates the student's college and career readiness:
5.1(i) for high school students who transfer into Minnesota from another state where
5.2the algebra course content is of equal or greater rigor, pass that state's high school course
5.3and graduation requirements in algebra;
5.4(ii) allow a student who has an active individualized education program to achieve a
5.5passing status at an individual level as prescribed by the commissioner;
5.6(iii) waive the required exam for a high school student who is an English language
5.7learner under section 124D.59 and who has been enrolled for four or fewer years in a
5.8school in which English is the primary language of instruction; or
5.9(iv) other alternative methods recommended by the Assessment Advisory Committee,
5.10if subsequently specifically authorized by law to allow other alternative methods;
5.11(b) The requirements of this subdivision apply to students in public schools,
5.12including charter schools, who enter grade 8 in the 2013-2014 school year or later.
5.13The commissioner may establish a transition period where students who enter grade
5.148 in the 2013-2014 or 2014-2015 school year graduate either under the mathematics
5.15Graduation-Required Assessment for Diploma requirements under section 120B.30,
5.16subdivision 1, or through a staggered implementation of this subdivision.
5.17(c) To fully implement this subdivision and enable school districts to provide
5.18intervention and support to struggling students and improve instruction for all students,
5.19the commissioner must provide districts with:
5.20(1) benchmark assessments that are aligned with the high school algebra
5.21end-of-course exam; and
5.22(2) an item bank available to teachers for creating formative assessments to help
5.23students prepare for the high school algebra end-of-course exam.
1.3algebra exam;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision
1.41, by adding a subdivision.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.7 Subdivision 1. Statewide testing. (a) The commissioner, with advice from experts
1.8with appropriate technical qualifications and experience and stakeholders, consistent with
1.9subdivision 1a, shall include in the comprehensive assessment system, for each grade
1.10level to be tested, state-constructed tests developed from and aligned with the state's
1.11required academic standards under section
1.12and be administered annually to all students in grades 3 through 8. State-developed high
1.13school tests aligned with the state's required academic standards under section
1.15multiple choice questions. The commissioner shall establish one or more months during
1.16which schools shall administer the tests to students each school year. For students enrolled
1.17in grade 8 before the 2005-2006 school year, Minnesota basic skills tests in reading,
1.18mathematics, and writing shall fulfill students' basic skills testing requirements for a
1.19passing state notation. The passing scores of basic skills tests in reading and mathematics
1.20are the equivalent of 75 percent correct for students entering grade 9 based on the
1.21first uniform test administered in February 1998. Students who have not successfully
1.22passed a Minnesota basic skills test by the end of the 2011-2012 school year must pass
1.23the graduation-required assessments for diploma under paragraph (c), except that for
2.1the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years only, these students may satisfy the state's
2.2graduation test requirement for math by complying with paragraph (d), clauses (1) and (3).
2.3(b) The state assessment system must be aligned to the most recent revision of
2.4academic standards as described in section
2.5(1) mathematics;
2.6(i) grades 3 through 8 beginning in the 2010-2011 school year; and
2.7(ii) high school level beginning in the 2013-2014 school year;
2.8(2) science; grades 5 and 8 and at the high school level beginning in the 2011-2012
2.9school year; and
2.10(3) language arts and reading; grades 3 through 8 and high school level beginning in
2.11the 2012-2013 school year.
2.12 (c) Except as provided in subdivision 1b, for students enrolled in grade 8 in the
2.132005-2006 school year and later, only the following options shall fulfill students' state
2.14graduation test requirements:
2.15 (1) for reading and mathematics:
2.16 (i) obtaining an achievement level equivalent to or greater than proficient as
2.17determined through a standard setting process on the Minnesota comprehensive
2.18assessments in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics or achieving a passing
2.19score as determined through a standard setting process on the graduation-required
2.20assessment for diploma in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics or
2.21subsequent retests;
2.22 (ii) achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process
2.23on the state-identified language proficiency test in reading and the mathematics test for
2.24English learners or the graduation-required assessment for diploma equivalent of those
2.25assessments for students designated as English learners;
2.26 (iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment for
2.27diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individualized
2.28education program or 504 plan;
2.29 (iv) obtaining achievement level equivalent to or greater than proficient as
2.30determined through a standard setting process on the state-identified alternate assessment
2.31or assessments in grade 10 for reading and grade 11 for mathematics for students with
2.32an individualized education program; or
2.33 (v) achieving an individual passing score on the state-identified alternate assessment
2.34or assessments as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an
2.35individualized education program; and
2.36 (2) for writing:
3.1 (i) achieving a passing score on the graduation-required assessment for diploma;
3.2 (ii) achieving a passing score as determined through a standard setting process on
3.3the state-identified language proficiency test in writing for students designated as English
3.4learners;
3.5 (iii) achieving an individual passing score on the graduation-required assessment for
3.6diploma as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an individualized
3.7education program or 504 plan; or
3.8 (iv) achieving an individual passing score on the state-identified alternate assessment
3.9or assessments as determined by appropriate state guidelines for students with an
3.10individualized education program.
3.11 (d) Students enrolled in grade 8 in any school year from the 2005-2006 school
3.12year to the 2009-2010 school year who do not pass the mathematics graduation-required
3.13assessment for diploma under paragraph (c) are eligible to receive a high school diploma
3.14if they:
3.15(1) complete with a passing score or grade all state and local coursework and credits
3.16required for graduation by the school board granting the students their diploma;
3.17(2) participate in district-prescribed academic remediation in mathematics; and
3.18 (3) fully participate in at least two retests of the mathematics GRAD test or until
3.19they pass the mathematics GRAD test, whichever comes first. A school, district, or charter
3.20school must place on the high school transcript a student's current pass status for each
3.21subject that has a required graduation assessment.
3.22In addition, the school board granting the students their diplomas may formally
3.23decide to include a notation of high achievement on the high school diplomas of those
3.24graduating seniors who, according to established school board criteria, demonstrate
3.25exemplary academic achievement during high school.
3.26(e) The 3rd through 8th grade and high school test results shall be available to
3.27districts for diagnostic purposes affecting student learning and district instruction and
3.28curriculum, and for establishing educational accountability. The commissioner must
3.29disseminate to the public the high school test results upon receiving those results.
3.30 (f) The 3rd through 8th grade and high school tests must be aligned with state
3.31academic standards. The commissioner shall determine the testing process and the order
3.32of administration. The statewide results shall be aggregated at the site and district level,
3.33consistent with subdivision 1a.
3.34 (g) In addition to the testing and reporting requirements under this section, the
3.35commissioner shall include the following components in the statewide public reporting
3.36system:
4.1 (1) uniform statewide testing of all students in grades 3 through 8 and at the high
4.2school level that provides appropriate, technically sound accommodations or alternate
4.3assessments;
4.4 (2) educational indicators that can be aggregated and compared across school
4.5districts and across time on a statewide basis, including average daily attendance, high
4.6school graduation rates, and high school drop-out rates by age and grade level;
4.7 (3) state results on the American College Test; and
4.8 (4) state results from participation in the National Assessment of Educational
4.9Progress so that the state can benchmark its performance against the nation and other
4.10states, and, where possible, against other countries, and contribute to the national effort
4.11to monitor achievement.
4.12 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 120B.30, is amended by adding a subdivision
4.13to read:
4.14 Subd. 1b. End-of-course algebra exam. (a) The commissioner shall establish a
4.15statewide end-of-course exam in high school algebra. The exam must conform with
4.16the following:
4.17(1) align with the most recently revised academic content standards under section
4.18120B.023, subdivision 2;
4.19(2) include both multiple-choice and open-ended items that assess the appropriate
4.20algebra knowledge and skills contained in the state's academic content standards;
4.21(3) be designed for computer administration and scoring;
4.22(4) be administered at regular intervals that align with the most common high school
4.23schedules in Minnesota;
4.24(5) generate achievement levels established through a professionally recognized
4.25methodology;
4.26(6) comprise 25 percent of the student's overall course grade in the corresponding
4.27course;
4.28(7) require a student who does not pass a high school algebra course to (i)
4.29retake the course or complete a district-authorized credit recovery class, (ii) opt, at the
4.30student's election, to retake the end-of-course assessment within a regularly scheduled
4.31administration window, and (iii) have the student select the exam score on the initial test or
4.32the retest to count as the equivalent of 25 percent of the student's overall course grade; and
4.33(8) allow an eligible student to meet this requirement through an alternative method
4.34that demonstrates the student's college and career readiness:
5.1(i) for high school students who transfer into Minnesota from another state where
5.2the algebra course content is of equal or greater rigor, pass that state's high school course
5.3and graduation requirements in algebra;
5.4(ii) allow a student who has an active individualized education program to achieve a
5.5passing status at an individual level as prescribed by the commissioner;
5.6(iii) waive the required exam for a high school student who is an English language
5.7learner under section 124D.59 and who has been enrolled for four or fewer years in a
5.8school in which English is the primary language of instruction; or
5.9(iv) other alternative methods recommended by the Assessment Advisory Committee,
5.10if subsequently specifically authorized by law to allow other alternative methods;
5.11(b) The requirements of this subdivision apply to students in public schools,
5.12including charter schools, who enter grade 8 in the 2013-2014 school year or later.
5.13The commissioner may establish a transition period where students who enter grade
5.148 in the 2013-2014 or 2014-2015 school year graduate either under the mathematics
5.15Graduation-Required Assessment for Diploma requirements under section 120B.30,
5.16subdivision 1, or through a staggered implementation of this subdivision.
5.17(c) To fully implement this subdivision and enable school districts to provide
5.18intervention and support to struggling students and improve instruction for all students,
5.19the commissioner must provide districts with:
5.20(1) benchmark assessments that are aligned with the high school algebra
5.21end-of-course exam; and
5.22(2) an item bank available to teachers for creating formative assessments to help
5.23students prepare for the high school algebra end-of-course exam.
