1813s 3/4/93
22apr93.....2414h
18may93.....2754h
1993 SESSION 1005B
93-0952
04
SENATE BILL NO. 224-FN
INTRODUCED BY: Sen. Lovejoy of Dist 6; Sen. Roberge of Dist 9
REFERRED TO: Education
AN ACT relative to the statewide education improvement and assessment program.
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill establishes the New Hampshire statewide education improvement and assessment program and sets forth criteria for the development and implementation of the program.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
EXPLANATION: Matter added appears in bold italics.
Matter removed appears in [brackets].
Matter which is repealed and reenacted or all new appears in regular type.
1005B
93-0952
04
CHAPTER 290
SB 224-FN
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the year of Our Lord one thousand
nine hundred and ninety-three
AN ACT
relative to the statewide education improvement
and assessment program.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives in General Court convened:
290:1 New Subparagraph; Rulemaking Authority. Amend RSA 21-N:9, II by inserting after subparagraph (v) the following new subparagraph:
(w) The exemption of certain students from participation in the statewide education assessment.
290:2 New Chapter; Education Improvement and Assessment Program. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 193-B the following new chapter:
CHAPTER 193-C
STATEWIDE EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
193-C:1 Statement of Purpose.
I. Improvement and accountability in education are of primary concern to all of the citizens of New Hampshire. A well-educated populace is essential for the maintenance of democracy, the continued growth of our economy, and the encouragement of personal enrichment and development.
II. A statewide education improvement and assessment program built upon the establishment of educational standards specifying what students should know and be able to do is an important element in educational improvement. Such a program also serves as an effective measure of accountability when the assessment exercises or tasks are valid and appropriate representations of the curriculum standards that students are expected to achieve.
III. Widespread participation in the establishment of a statewide education improvement and assessment program is essential. Consultation with educators at all levels, business people, government officials, community representatives, and parents must occur in the development of educational standards. In turn, widespread dissemination of those standards, once established, must occur. Teachers, administrators, and school board members must be fully apprised of these state-developed standards. They must, in turn, communicate these expectations to students and parents, and find and implement methods to enable students to acquire and apply the requisite knowledge and skills.
IV. In addition, the assessment results must be reported to students, parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, and to all other citizens of New Hampshire in order that informed decisions can be made concerning curriculum, in-service education, instructional improvement, teacher training, resource allocation, and staffing.
V. A critical part of this program is the local education improvement and assessment plan. In order for an assessment program to give an accurate picture of student performance, it must include more than
a one-time measure. Local school districts should devise and implement measures which focus on the continuing growth of individual students, and report the results to parents along with those obtained from the state-developed tool.
VI. The purpose of the statewide education improvement and assessment program is not to establish a statewide curriculum. It is, rather, to establish what New Hampshire students should know and be able to do and to develop and implement effective methods for assessing that learning and its application so that local decisions about curriculum development and delivery can be made.
193-C:2 Definitions. In this chapter:
I. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the department of education.
II. "Committee" means the legislative oversight committee established to review the statewide education improvement and assessment program.
III. "Department" means the department of education.
IV. "Program" means the New Hampshire statewide education improvement and assessment program.
193-C:3 Program Established; Goals. There is established within the department of education a statewide education improvement and assessment program. The commissioner shall develop and implement this program in conjunction with the state board of education and the legislative oversight committee. In carrying out this program, the commissioner shall consult widely with educators at all levels, business people, government officials, community representatives, and parents.
I. The aims of this program shall be to:
(a) Define what students should know and be able to do.
(b) Develop and implement methods for assessing that learning and its application.
(c) Report assessment results to all citizens of New Hampshire.
(d) Help to provide accountability at all levels.
(e) Use the results, at both the state and local levels, to improve instruction and advance student learning.
II. Since the program is not a minimum competency testing program, assessment instruments should be designed to reflect the range of learning exhibited by students. The assessment portion of the program shall consist of a variety of assessment tasks which can be objectively scored. The assessment instruments shall include, but not be limited to:
(a) Constructed response items which require students to produce answers to questions rather than to select from an array of possible answers.
(b) A writing sample.
(c) Other open-ended performance tasks.
III. The following criteria shall be used in the development of the program:
(a) Educational standards specifying what students should know and be able to do shall be clearly defined before assessment procedures and exercises are developed.
(b) The assessment exercises or tasks shall be valid and appropriate representations of the standards the students are expected to achieve.
(c) At each grade level assessed, the standards and expectations shall be the same for every New Hampshire student.
(d) Teachers shall be involved in designing and using the assessment system.
(e) Assessment frameworks and reports shall be understandable and widely disseminated to parents, teachers, administrators, other school personnel, school board members, teacher preparation programs, business people, government officials, and community members.
(f) The assessment system shall be subject to continuous review and improvement.
IV. The assessment system shall generate data which may be used:
(a) At the student level, by students, parents, and teachers, to determine what the student knows and is able to do in relationship to the state-established standards.
(b) At the classroom and school building levels, to monitor student progress and to enhance learning.
(c) At the district level, to measure school and district-wide progress toward meeting goals and outcomes, to revise curriculum, to design in-service education programs, and to improve instruction.
(d) At the state level, to measure what students know and are able to do in relation to the attainment of goals and outcomes from the assessment frameworks, and to report the results to the citizens of New Hampshire.
(e) At the state level, to target services to schools, improve existing programs, develop new initiatives, and revise standards for school improvement, teacher certification, etc.
(f) At the college level, to integrate into teacher preparation programs instruction in state-established standards, techniques for enhancing student learning in these areas, and the use of assessment results to improve instruction.
(g) At all levels, to correlate, to the extent possible, with national goals and international standards.
(h) At all levels, to provide a basis for accountability.
193-C:4 Rulemaking. The state board of education shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to the exemption of certain students from participation in the program. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the ability of the state board of education to adopt rules pursuant to the authority granted by the general court.
193-C:5 Areas of Assessment. The academic areas to be assessed shall include, but not be limited to: reading and language arts, mathematics and science, and history and geography.
193-C:6 Assessment Required. Each year, a statewide assessment shall be administered in all school districts in the state in 3 grades: an elementary grade, a middle or junior high grade, and a high school grade. All public school students in the designated grades shall participate in the assessment, unless such student is exempted. Home educated students may contact their local school districts if they wish to participate in the statewide assessment. Private schools may contact the department of education to participate in the statewide assessment.
193-C:7 Legislative Oversight Committee. An oversight committee shall be established consisting of:
I. The chairperson of the house education committee, or a designee.
II. The chairperson of the senate education committee, or a designee.
III. One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house.
IV. One member of the senate, appointed by the senate president.
V. One member of the house appropriations committee, appointed by the speaker of the house.
VI. One member of the senate finance executive committee, appointed by the senate president.
193-C:8 Duties of the Legislative Oversight Committee. The oversight committee shall review the development and implementation of the program to ensure that they are in accordance with legislative policy. Implementation of the program shall be in conjunction with the committee's review.
193-C:9 Local Education Improvement and Assessment Plan.
I. Each school district in New Hampshire is encouraged to develop a local education improvement and assessment plan which builds upon and complements the goals established for the program, including:
(a) Local assessment measures which focus on individual student performance.
(b) Participation in the program.
(c) The use of local and statewide assessment results to improve instruction and enhance student learning.
(d) Methods for reporting the results of all assessment measures.
II. This plan may be submitted to the department of education for review. The department shall provide technical assistance at the request of the school districts in developing and implementing these assessment plans.
III. In addition, local school districts are encouraged to submit to the department of education information relating to:
(a) Methods of instruction which have proven to be effective in helping students reach the state-developed standards.
(b) Methods of assessment which have proven to be effective in assessing what students know and are able to do.
IV. In accordance with RSA 21-N:6, VII, the department shall develop a system whereby such information can be collected, compiled, and disseminated to local school districts.
290:3 Repeal. 1992, 289:58, relative to the oversight committee, is repealed.
290:4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved: "Enacted in accordance with Article 44, Pt. II, of the N.H.
Constitution, without signature of Governor, June 22, 1993.
Effective: June 22, 1993
LBAO
LSR 93-0952 *
Amended 3/15/93
FISCAL NOTE for an act relative to the statewide education improvement and assessment program and making an appropriation therefor.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This bill, as amended by the Senate, appropriates $120,000 for fiscal year ending June 30, 1993; $225,000 for fiscal year ending June 30, 1994; and $675,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1995 from the general fund to the Department of Education for the purpose of funding the education improvement and assessment program under RSA 193-C.