BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1548
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1548 (Mullin)
As Amended May 12, 2014
Majority vote
HIGHER EDUCATION 9-2 APPROPRIATIONS 12-4
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|Ayes:|Williams, Bloom, Fong, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, |
| |Fox, | |Bradford, |
| |Jones-Sawyer, Levine, | |Ian Calderon, Campos, |
| |Medina, Quirk-Silva, | |Eggman, Gomez, Holden, |
| |Weber | |Pan, Quirk, |
| | | |Ridley-Thomas, Weber |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Ch�vez, Olsen |Nays:|Bigelow, Donnelly, Jones, |
| | | |Wagner |
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SUMMARY : Would require, until January 1, 2017, any agency that
administers standardized college admission tests to report
annually to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the
Legislature regarding the number of test scores for each type of
standardized test that were canceled or invalidated, and the
associated reasons for cancellation or invalidation. The report
is not to include identifiable information on the test subjects.
EXISTING LAW imposes a number of requirements on test sponsors
that develop, sponsor or administer standardized tests
including, requiring the test agency to have substantial
evidence from an investigation that supports the decision to
cancel or invalidate a score; and, requiring, upon a
cancellation or invalidation of a test score, the test agency to
provide the test subject with the option of a refund of all test
fees, the opportunity to take the test again privately and
without charge, and the opportunity to seek judicial review of
the matter. However, these options are not applicable in
instances of complete disruption of a test due to, among other
exceptions, inadequate or improper test conditions. A test
sponsor who violates provisions of law is liable for a civil
penalty not to exceed $750 per violation (Education Code
Sections 99150 to 99164.)
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
AB 1548
Page 2
Committee, negligible fiscal impact.
COMMENTS : In May of 2013, 259 Mills High School students had
641 of their Advanced Placement (AP) test scores cancelled by
the College Board and Educational Testing Service (ETS) because
of seating irregularities; some students were seated at round
tables and not facing the same direction, in violation of
testing protocols. The author notes that no evidence of student
misconduct was identified. Students were provided an
opportunity to retest, however due to a number of factors, the
retest did not occur until August, long after the school year
had concluded and some students had already left for college.
In August 2013, the United States District Court for Northern
California denied an application for a temporary restraining
order and a motion for a preliminary injunction seeking the
reinstatement of the invalidated AP test scores. Among other
things, court documents indicate the San Mateo Union High School
District failed to administer some of the AP exams in a manner
consistent with the seating requirements specified in the AP
Coordinator's Manual.
According to the author, this bill will help the Legislature
determine if the cancellation of test scores that occurred at
Mills High School was an isolated incident, or if there is a
larger problem that needs to be addressed more thoroughly in
state law.
Analysis Prepared by : Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960
FN: 0003533