BILL NUMBER: AB 959 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 25, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bonilla
FEBRUARY 22, 2013
An act to add Section 60604.6 to the Education Code, relating to
pupil assessment.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 959, as amended, Bonilla. Pupil assessment.
The Leroy Greene California Assessment of Academic Achievement Act
states the intent of the Legislature to provide a system of
individual assessment of pupils that has the primary purpose of
assisting teachers, administrators, and pupils and their parents to
improve teaching and learning. Existing law establishes the
Standardized Testing and Reporting Program pursuant to which each
school district, charter school, and county office of education is
required to administer to each of its pupils in grades 2 to 11,
inclusive, the standards-based achievement tests. These provisions
are inoperative on July 1, 2014, and as of January 1, 2015, are
repealed.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that the
reauthorization of the statewide pupil assessment program
include a specified plan to reform that program as it relates to
grades 7 to 12, inclusive bring together elementary
and secondary school policy leaders, the segments of higher
education, and postsecondary career technical and vocational programs
to develop criteria and create pathways in which assessments taken
by middle and high school pupils are aligned with college and career
readiness, as specified . The bill would require the
Superintendent of Public Instruction , in consultation with
various groups of individuals and entities, to develop and present to
the State Board of Education, by July 1, 2014, recommendations to
effectuate those reforms. The bill would require the state board to
adopt, or modify and adopt, the recommendations by November 15, 2014.
The bill would require the Superintendent and the state board
and the State Board of Education, in consultation with
certain entities and using certain assessment results, to recommend
specific uses of these assessments by certain higher education
entities for specified purposes. The bill would require the
Superintendent and state board, on or before January 1,
2018, to present to the Governor and the appropriate policy and
fiscal committees of the Legislature a schedule and
implementation plan. The bill would require the State
Department of Education to use specified federal funds or any other
available and appropriate state and federal funds to implement these
provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature that the
reauthorization of the statewide pupil assessment program pursuant to
Section 60604.5 of the Education Code include a plan to
bring together elementary and secondary school policy
leaders, the California Community Colleges, the California State
University, the University of California, private colleges and
universities, and postsecondary career technical and vocational
programs to develop criteria and create nonpunitive pathways in which
assessments taken by middle and high school pupils are aligned with
college and career readiness and may be recognized as one of a number
of multiple measures for entry into college, placement in
college-level courses, and career training.
SEC. 2. Section 60604.6 is added to the Education Code, to read:
60604.6. (a) For purposes of developing a plan to
strengthen the pupil relevance of assessments and to strengthen the
alignment between state-mandated middle and high school assessments
and the entry requirements or course placement decisions of public
and private colleges and universities and postsecondary career and
technical training institutions, the Superintendent, in consultation
with the state board, the segments of public and Using
pupil, school, grade, district, county, and state level summative
assessment results from the administration of the common assessments
for middle and high school pupils that are aligned to the
common core state standards, the Superintendent and the state board,
in consultation with the Regents of the University of California, the
Trustees of the California State University, the Board of Governors
of the California Community Colleges, private postsecondary
education institutions , career technical and training
institutions, administrators of elementary and secondary schools,
teachers, members of the governing board of school districts, pupil
representatives, and parents, shall develop and
recommend to the state board both of the following:
specific uses of these assessments by the regents, the
trustees, and the board of governors for all of the following
purposes:
(1) Principles among elementary and secondary schools, public and
private colleges and universities, and postsecondary career and
technical training institutions that would strengthen the alignment
of assessments of pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to any of the
following:
(A)
( 1) Requirements for entry into college.
(B)
(2) Placement in college-level courses.
(C)
( 3) Career opportunities.
(4) Early assessment programs.
(2) A plan and timeline to expand and strengthen future early
assessment programs to provide information to postsecondary
institutions, secondary schools, and pupils about pupil preparedness
for all California postsecondary educational institutions, including
the California Community Colleges, the California State University,
the University of California, private colleges and universities, and
postsecondary career training institutions.
(b) The Superintendent shall present recommendations to the state
board on or before July 1, 2014. After the Superintendent presents
the recommendations, two public hearings shall be held during
regularly scheduled state board meetings to ensure public input and
participation.
(c) On or before November 15, 2014, the state board shall adopt,
or modify and adopt, the recommendations.
(d) The
( b) On or before January 1,
2018, the Superintendent and the state board shall present to
the Governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the
Legislature a schedule and implementation plan
that meets the intent of this section.
(e)
( c) The department shall use funds received
pursuant to Title VI of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
(20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.), or any other available and
appropriate state and federal funds, to implement this section.