BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Gloria Romero, Chair
2009-2010 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 800
AUTHOR: Hancock
INTRODUCED: February 27, 2009
FISCAL COMM: No HEARING DATE: April 15, 2009
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT: James Wilson
SUBJECT : Second Grade Testing
SUMMARY
This bill would end the testing of second grade pupils with
California Standards Tests (CSR) in the Standardized
Testing and Reporting (STAR) program after the 2009-2010
school year.
BACKGROUND
Current law requires school districts to annually
administer standardized tests to pupils in grades 2 to 11
under the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR)
Program. Second grade pupils take a California Standards
Test (CST) in Reading / Language Arts and Mathematics. The
California Standards Tests are aligned to California's
adopted academic content standards and these standards
aligned tests have replaced the "off the shelf" national
norm-referenced tests that were administered in earlier
years. Scores on the CSTs are used to compute each
school's Academic Performance Index (API) and federal
measure of Adequate Yearly Progress. (AYP).
STAR tests are used by California to meet the assessment
and accountability requirements of the federal No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), which requires each state
to administer a standards-aligned achievement test in
reading and mathematics to all students in grades 3 through
8. Testing of pupils in grade 2 is not necessary to meet
any federal requirements. According to information
provided by the Education Commission of the States, as of
2005 only seven other states tested grade 2 students in any
of the content areas tested in the STAR Program.
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Grade 2 testing in the STAR Program was a controversial
issue in discussions surrounding the reauthorization of
STAR testing in 2004 by SB 1448 (Alpert). In that measure a
negotiated compromise provided for the eventual elimination
of grade 2 testing after a three year period with the grade
2 testing requirement becoming inoperative on July 1, 2007.
However, budget negotiations in 2007 restored 2nd grade
testing in the budget trailer bill SB 80 (Committee on
Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 174, Statutes of 2007.
Current law keeps STAR testing in grade 2 operative until
July 1, 2011, when all STAR testing sunsets and will
require reauthorization,
Grade 2 testing has long been controversial in the testing
community. In a position paper, the National Center for
Fair & Open Testing (also known as FairTest), argues for
eliminating grade 2 testing noting that research has shown
that for children below grade 4 the mechanics of taking
tests and answering on specialized answer sheets can prove
more difficult than the cognitive tasks the tests are
asking them to address.
ANALYSIS
This bill:
1) Eliminates statewide testing of pupils in grade 2
using the California Standards Tests (CST),
administered under the state's Standardized Testing
and Reporting (STAR) program, after the 2009 - 2010
school year.
2) Declares legislative findings that statewide
standardized testing of children under nine years of
age is not age or developmentally appropriate, does
not provide meaningful data and is furthermore not
federally required.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Related legislation. AB 476 (Torlakson) eliminates
testing under the Standardized Testing and Reporting
(STAR) Program in grade 2, and requires a one-time
independent evaluation of that program. AB 476 was
heard and passed by the Assembly Education Committee
on April 1, 2009.
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2) Previous legislation . Chapter 233 of 2004 (SB 1448,
Alpert) extended the life of STAR testing through the
2009 -2010 school year and eliminated grade 2 testing
as of July 1, 2007.
SB 80 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 174,
Statutes of 2007, was a budget trailer bill that
averted the pending elimination of grade 2 testing by
repealing the relevant provisions of Chapter 233. 0f
2004. SB 80 was not heard in any policy committee.
AB 1695 (Goldberg, 2005) would have required a school
district to select and administer an existing
diagnostic reading test for administration to each
pupil in grade 2. AB 1695 was held in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee.
AB 356 (Hancock, 2004), would have provided for a grade 2
diagnostic assessment in lieu of standardized testing
and delayed the requirement to pass the exit exam in
order to graduate high school. AB 356 was approved by
the Senate Education Committee on a 10 to 1 vote but
the bill was held on the Senate floor.
3) Fiscal effect. Estimates in previous years suggest
that a General Fund savings in excess of two million
dollars will be generated by eliminating statewide
testing in grade 2. However, during budget hearings,
the cost of restoring 2nd grade testing after
elimination has been estimated as much as $4.5
million.
4) Need for the bill. Supporters of eliminating grade 2
testing in California cite the compromise agreement
that led to the reauthorization of the STAR
program, and argue that tests given to young pupils
should be for diagnostic or placement purposes only.
They also argue that the loss of instructional time to
testing and the resulting narrowing of the curriculum
are particularly damaging in the early grades.
Educators also question the developmental
appropriateness and psychometric validity of testing
in the early grades. Teachers in opposition
cite numerous examples of negative impacts on
individual grade 2 students, including crying and
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acting out due to stress. The National Association
for the Education of Young Children has been opposed
to standardized testing of young children for a number
of years for these reasons.
Opponents of eliminating grade 2 testing argue that
providing information to parents and teachers early in
a student's educational career is important for making
adjustments to that student's instruction.
SUPPORT
California Alliance for Arts Education
California Association for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation and Dance
California Federation of Teachers
California Teachers Association
San Diego Unified School District
United Teachers of Los Angeles
OPPOSITION
California Business for Education Excellence
EdVoice
Small School Districts Association
Letters from individuals