This database is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Most entries are legislative, although rules/regulations and executive orders that make substantive changes are included. Every effort is made to collect the latest available version of policies; in some instances, recent changes might not be reflected. For expediency purposes minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) and format.
Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date].
| State |
Status/Date |
Level |
Summary |
|
 DC | Signed into law 07/2012 | P-12
Postsec. | Beginning with the graduating class of 2014, the Mayor will ensure that each high school student applies to at least one
postsecondary institution before graduation and participates in a program designed to provide students with information on
applying to an appropriate institution, including information on financial aid and other resources. The Mayor willl issue a report
that details the number of students that attend a postsecondary institution, including:
(1) Universities;
(2) Colleges;
(3) Vocational schools; and
(4) Other post-secondary institutions.
Beginning with the graduating class of 2014, the Mayor will require that each student attending public high school takes the
SAT or the American College Testing program before graduation.
http://dcclims1.dccouncil.us/images/00001/20120405113239.pdf
Title: Bill 19-648
Source: http://dcclims1.dccouncil.us
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| WY | Signed into law 03/2012 | P-12 | Creates an integrated district and statewide assessment system. Requires state superintendent to establish a program for administering a standardized computer-adaptive college placement and job skills assessment to all students in grades 11 and 12. Finds that districts must include scores from two exams on high school transcripts. Requires the district assessment system to be designed to determine various levels of student achievement, high school attainment. Provides duties of state superintendent in implementing assessment system. Directs school districts to administer common benchmark adaptive assessments in grades 1 through 8. Provides state board has authority to review, approve each district's assessment system. Stipulates waivers may be granted consistent with NCLB and IDEA statutes.
http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2012/Enroll/SF0057.pdf
Title: S.F. 57
Source: http://legisweb.state.wy.us
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| CA | Signed into law 06/2011 | Postsec. | Provides relative to the administration of standardized tests for purposes of postsecondary education.
From bill summary: Requires a test sponsor to provide alternative methods to verify a test subject's identity and to clearly post on the test sponsor's Web site contact information for test subjects who cannot provide the required identification and need further assistance. Allows a test sponsor to require test subjects to obtain approval from the test sponsor in advance of the registration test deadline in order to be admitted to the test with an alternative form of identification. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0151-0200/ab_176_bill_20110701_chaptered.pdf
Title: A.B. 176
Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov
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| OH | Signed into law 06/2011 | P-12 | Provides that for administrations of each state assessment in the 2011-2012 school year and thereafter, the administrations are not to be public record (previously at least 40% of the questions were to be public record).
Amends provisions related to the exit exam system (the "college and work ready assessment system"):
--Repeals provision that the nationally standardized assessment measure competencies in science, math and English language arts. Replaces with provision that nationally standardized assessment measure college and career readiness.
--Adds that for the end-of-course exams in science, math, English language arts and social studies, the state superintendent and the chancellor must select multiple assessments that districts, schools, and chartered nonpublic schools may use, which must include nationally recognized subject area assessments, such as AP examinations, SAT subject tests, International Baccalaureate exams, and other assessments of college and work readiness.
--Repeals the senior project that was the third part of the college and work ready assessment system.
--Repeals provision relating to scoring rubrics and a required overall composite score for the college and work ready assessment system.
Pages 16-19 of 1000: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText129/129_HB_153_EN_part2.pdf
Title: H.B. 153 - State Assessments
Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us
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| NC | Signed into law 06/2011 | Postsec.
Community College | Directs the State Board of Education (SBE) to continue to participate in the development of the Common Core State Standards in conjunction with the consortium of other states, review all national assessments developed by both multistate consortia, and implement the assessments that the SBE deems most appropriate to assess student achievement on the Common Core State Standards. Requires, to the extent funds are made available, the SBE to plan for and require the administration of the ACT test for all students in the eleventh grade unless the student has already taken a comparable test and scored at or above a level set by the SBE.
Requires, to the extent funds are made available for this purpose, the SBE to plan for and require the administration of diagnostic tests in the eighth and tenth grades that align to the ACT test in order to help diagnose student learning and provide for students an indication of whether they are on track to be remediation-free at a community college or university. Requires, to the extent funds are made available for this purpose, the SBE to plan for and require local school districts to make available the appropriate WorkKeys tests for all students who complete the second level of vocational/career courses. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/Senate/HTML/S479v5.html
Title: S.B. 479
Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us
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| NE | Signed into law 05/2011 | Postsec. | Adopts the Postsecondary Institution Act and amend provisions of the Private Postsecondary Career School Act. Sec. 85-961 currently provides that community colleges (with exceptions specifically authorized by statute and the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education) have sole responsibility for the award of associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in less than baccalaureate degree program areas. Amends this provision so as to clarify that the reference to certificates relates to certificates comprised of courses at the associate-degree level or below. Authorizes the University of Nebraska (upon Coordinating Commission approval) to offer certificates within fields in addition to those already specifically authorized in statute, if the preponderance of the courses comprising the certificates is above the associate-degree level. Specifically directs the Coordinating Commission to conduct a study (with other education entities) regarding the need for uniform policies and practices for dual enrollment courses and career academies in Nebraska. Also provides for a three year pilot project beginning in 2011-12 for the administration of a standard college
admission test to students in the 11th grade.
http://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Slip/LB637.pdf
Title: L.B. 637
Source: http://nebraskalegislature.gov
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| ND | Signed into law 05/2011 | P-12 | Eleventh graders in both public and nonpublic schools were required in the past to take the ACT, but this bill adds a requirement that students take the writing portion of the ACT or the WorkKeys assessments. Provides that the cost is to be borne by the state. Each district superintendent and each nonpublic school administrator is required to report the number of 11th graders who took the ACT, including the writing test; too the three WorkKeys assessments; and the number of students who were exempted from these requirements.
http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/62-2011/documents/11-0208-12000.pdf
Title: S.B. 2150 - Multiple Provisions
Source: http://www.legis.nd.gov
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| IL | Signed into law 07/2010 | P-12
Community College | On July 1, 2010, subject to appropriation, directs the state community college board to extend the College and Career Readiness Pilot Program for an additional 3 years and to include an additional 7 sites (or as
many as are allowed by available funding), as evidenced by the effectiveness of the current program. Provides that if funds are not appropriated for the program in any of these 3 additional years, the community college board must extend the program for an additional year. Two of the existing goals of the program are to (1) diagnose college readiness by developing a system to align ACT scores to specific community college courses in developmental and freshman curricula, and (2) provide resources and academic support to high school students to enrich the senior year through remedial or advanced coursework, and other interventions. Adds new provisions requiring that college placement exams also be aligned to developmental and freshman community college courses/curricula, and calling for enrichment of the junior year of high school (in addition to the senior year). Provides that the 1st year of the extended program begins with the high school classes of 2011 and 2012, the 2nd year with the high school classes of 2012 and 2013, and the 3rd year with the high school classes of 2013 and 2014 (or with later classes if funds are not appropriated for the program in a given fiscal year.)
Removes as a criterion for program participation a community college's willingness to submit developmental and introductory courses to ACT for analysis of college placement. Removes a provision directing the state board to work with ACT to analyze up to 10 courses at each participating community college to determine student placement and college readiness. Specifies that the "college readiness team" at each site must include, among other roleplayers, the chief academic officer, the chief student services officer, an institutional researcher, faculty, and counselors or advisers from the community college and high school. Clarifies that one means of evaluating program effectiveness is a comparison of college entrance exams or college placement scores, or both, within each group of students. Repeals provision directing the state community college board to work with participating community colleges and high schools to establish operational processes and a budget for college and career readiness pilot programs, including employment of a college and career readiness coordinator at each community college site. Directs the state community college board to report its findings and recommendations to the senate and house by December 31, 2013. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/96/PDF/096-1300.pdf
Title: S.B. 3705
Source: www.ilga.gov
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| IL | Signed into law 08/2009 | P-12 | Reduces the number of opportunities to take the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) from two to one during the spring semester of grade 11. Eliminates provision allowing students wishing to improve their score to retake the PSAE in grade 12. Provides that a student may receive a high school diploma without taking the PSAE if a district is not required to test the individual under the No Child Left Behind Act or if the student is exempt from the assessment. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/SB/PDF/09600SB2014lv.pdf
Title: S.B. 2014
Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation
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| ND | Signed into law 05/2009 | P-12 | Requires districts to administer annually to students in grades 2-10 the measures of academic progress test or any other interim assessment approved by the superintendent of education. Requires all 11th grade public and nonpublic school students to take the ACT or set of three WorkKeys assessments (students choose which). The district pays for the cost of one summative assessment and its administration per student. Requires the career advisor or counselor to meet with students to review results. Students can be exempt if taking the test is not required by an IEP or if there are other special circumstances. If the state superintendent determines that costs can be reduced through the use of a state procurement process, the superintendent is to work with districts to procure and arrange for administration of assessments and withhold each district's share of the total cost from state aid. Students under age 21 pursuing a GED may take the ACT or three WorkKeys assessments, and the student's career advisor or guidance counselor must meet with the student to review the student's assessment results.
http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-2009/bill-text/JARF1000.pdf
Title: H.B. 1400 - Secs. 22, 24, 25 Assessment
Source: http://www.legis.nd.gov
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| UT | Adopted 04/2009 | P-12 | Adds a new section regarding student achievement testing exceptions. Provides the state board may exempt a district or charter school from U-PASS testing requirements if a district or charter school pilots an assessment system that incorporates:
(1) online classroom-based assessment that utilizes adaptive testing in all grades
(2) online writing assessment in grades 4 through 12
(3) assessments administered in grades 8, 10 and 11
(4) college placement assessments in grades 11 to provide information for 12th grade high school course selections
and is subject to an accountability plan and high school graduation standards that are based on the assessment system described in R277-705-11A(1), (2), (3), (4) above and developed and adopted by the state board.
Provides exemptions may not exceed three rural school districts, two urban school districts and five charter schools, and may not continue beyond July 2010. Adds provisions for students transfering from an exempted district to an unexempted district in grade 11 or 12. http://www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/bulletin/2009/20090201/32314.htm
Title: R277-705
Source: www.rules.utah.gov
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| KY | Signed into law 03/2009 | P-12 | Repeals language referring to the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS). Directs the state board, using the revised content standards to be approved by December 15, 2010, to implement an annual statewide assessment system for implementation in the 2011-12 school year. Requires the board, in developing the assessment system, to also seek the advice of the Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee within the Legislative Research Commission. Calls for the implementation of:
(1) Grades 3-8 criterion-referenced assessments in reading and math, augmented with a customized or commercially available norm-referenced test to provide national profiles
(2) Criterion-referenced assessments in science and social studies, to be administered once each in the elementary and middle grades, augmented with a customized or commercially available norm-referenced test to provide national profiles
(3) An on-demand writing assessment to be administered once in the elementary grades, twice in the middle grades, and twice in the high school grades
(4) An editing and mechanics test for writing, using multiple choice and constructed response items, to be administered once each in the elementary and middle grades, and twice in the high school grades
(5) A grade 8 high school readiness exam in English, reading, math and science; except the readiness assessment may be administered in grade 9 if the state board determines moving the test would be in students' best interest
(6) A criterion-referenced test in math, reading and science administered once during high school grades, that measures the depth and breadth of the academic content standards that are not covered in the ACT administered to all juniors
(7) A criterion-referenced social studies test administered once during high school grades, augmented with a customized or commercially available norm-referenced test to provide national profiles
(8) A grade 10 college-readiness test in English, reading, math and science
(9) The ACT, testing English, reading, math and science, administered in grade 11.
Adds that student scores on the grade 8 high school readiness or grade 10 college-readiness test indicate advanced work is required in English, reading or math must have intervention strategies for accelerated learning incorporated into his or her learning plan.
Provides the criterion-referenced assessments must have constructed response and multiple choice items, and that the nationally normed assessments must be multiple-choice. Permits the state board to adopt end-of-course exams in lieu of criterion-referenced tests. Provides that assessment results must be used to determine appropriate instructional modifications to allow all students to make continuous progress, including students who are advanced learners. Requires the state board to conduct periodic alignment studies that compare the norm-referenced tests with the breadth and depth of the standards. Authorizes the state board, based on the findings of these studies, to decrease the number of criterion-referenced items.
Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, requires all districts to administer the statewide assessments during the last 14 days of school. Provides testing may take no more than five days. Directs the state board to adopt regulations on the procedures to be used during the testing process to ensure test security, including procedures for testing makeup days. Requires the state board, in revising the assessment system for implementation in 2011-12, to ensure that a technically sound longitudinal comparison of the assessment results for the same students be made available.
New KRS 158.6453(1)(e) defines formative assessment as a process used by teachers and students during instruction to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students' achievement of intended instructional outcomes. Specifies formative assessments may be commercial assessments, classroom observations, teacher-designed classroom tests and assessments, and other processes and assignments to gain information about individual student learning.
Provides the assessment program may include formative and summative (i.e., semester- or year-end) assessments that:
(1) Measure student achievement in language, reading, English, mathematics, science and social studies
(2) Provide diagnostic information identifying individual students' strengths and academic deficiencies in the content areas
(3) Provide comparisons with national norms for math, reading, social studies, and science, and where available, comparisons to other states
(4) Provide teachers with information that can enable them to improve instruction for current and future students
(5) Provide longitudinal profiles for students
(6) Ensure school and district accountability for meeting state education goals.
Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, requires every school serving primary-level students to use developmentally appropriate diagnostic assessments and prompts to measure readiness in reading and mathematics. Provides the results must be used to inform teachers and parents of each student's skill level.
Adds that one use of Commonwealth school improvement grant funds may be to help teachers and administrators make better use of formative and summative, performance-based assessments.
Requires the assessment program to include state and local program reviews and audits in selected content areas. Provides that state and local program reviews and audits must provide schools with annual feedback on selected programs and serve as indicators of the quality of students' educational experiences. Requires program reviews and audits to provide recommendations for improving teaching and assessment, and to ensure school and district accountability for student achievement. Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, the state assessment program must include program reviews and program audits for arts and humanities, practical living skills and career studies, and the writing programs, the results of which to be included in the state accountability system.
Directs the department of eductation to provide guidelines for (1) arts and humanities programs, (2) practical living skills and career studies, and (3) effective writing programs, and for the integration of the arts and humanities and practical living skills and career studies guidelines into every school's curriculum. Also requires (1) practical living skills and career studies and (2) effective writing program guidelines to be integrated into the curriculum of all teacher preparation programs. Directs the department of education to establish (1) arts and humanities program, (2) practical living skills and career studies and (3) effective writing program criteria for use in program review and audit processes, along with the procedures recommended for local district and department program reviews and program audits. Requires the department to distribute the criteria and procedures for program reviews and audits to all schools and teacher preparation programs. Directs every district to conduct an annual program review, and the department of education to review every school's programs in these three areas within a two-year period. Requires every school-based decision making council to analyze its school's program review findings and determine how it will address program recommendations to improve the program for students. Requires the department to ensure that all schools and districts understand how the program review and audit results will be included in the accountability system, and to provide assistance to improve the quality of such programs.
Specifies that the writing program must incorporate a variety of language resources, technological tools and multiple opportunities for students to develop complex communication skills for a variety of purposes. Provides that writing portfolios must be part of any K-12 writing program, must be part of the required criteria for the writing program review and audit process, and must be maintained for each student, following the student from grade to grade and to any school the student may enroll in.
Requires the state board to adopt rules that prohibit inappropriate test preparation activities by district employees charged with test administration and oversight, including the issue of teachers being required to do test practice in lieu of regular classroom instruction and test practice outside the normal work day. Provides the revisions must include disciplinary sanctions that may be taken toward a school or individuals.
Amends KRS 158.816 to replace CATS with reference to revised assessment system (in provision requiring annual analysis of and report on achievement of technical education students who have completed or are enrolled in an at least 3-credit sequence of a technical program.
Pages 6-23 [Section 2(3)], 31-32 [Section 6], 40-42 [Section 9], and 44-45 [Section 11] of 76: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/09RS/SB1/bill.doc
Title: S.B. 1 Section 2(3), 6, 9 and 11
Source: www.lrc.ky.gov
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| KY | Signed into law 03/2009 | P-12 | Directs the the state board of education and the state department of education, prior to the development and implementation of a new state assessment system for 2011-12, to provide for a systematic interim process that will lead to a new state student assessment program. Provides the system will continue to include the high school readiness examination in grade 8, the college readiness examination in grade 10, and the ACT in grade eleven 11. Provides the current state criterion-referenced test that meets the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, excluding tests for arts and humanities, practical living skills and career studies, and writing portfolios, will continue to be given for the same subjects in the same grades in the 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2010-11 school years until the new assessment program is implemented in the 2011-12 academic year. Directs the department, during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years, to reduce the length of the test by reviewing and eliminating unneeded test items.
Provides that during the 2009-10 and the 2010-11 academic years, in addition to the state criterion-referenced test, there will be a new stand-alone norm-referenced test in reading and math in grades 3-7, that must be valid and reliable at the individual student level. Directs the state board to promulgate administrative regulations outlining the procedures to be used during the interim testing process to ensure test security, including procedures for testing makeup days, and to comply with federal assessment requirements. Provides that during the interim, the testing window for the criterion-referenced test may be up to 7 days in 2008-09 and up to 6days during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years with additional makeup days as determined by the state board.
In the 2008-09 academic year, directs the department of education to provide each district with a test booklet and scoring sheets for arts and humanities, practical living skills and career studies that may be used by a local district for a local formative or summative evaluation. Provides that during the 2009-10 and the 2010-11 school years, the new stand-alone norm-referenced test in reading and mathematics in grades 3-7 must be given during the week before or the week after the established testing window. http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/09RS/SB1/bill.doc
Title: S.B. 1 Section 19
Source: www.lrc.ky.gov
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