Modify Administration of Education Assessments

Second Regular Session Seventy-fifth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED SENATE BILL 26-068 LLS NO. 26-0741.01 Jacob Baus x2173 SENATE SPONSORSHIP Kolker and Pelton B., HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Hamrick and Garcia Sander, Senate Committees House Committees Education A BILL FOR AN ACT CONCERNING MEASURES TO MODIFY THE ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION ASSESSMENTS.

Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.) The bill requires the department of education to: ! Ensure that standardized summative assessments are administered to students to the minimum extent possible; and ! Apply for a federal waiver for federal assessment requirements, if necessary. Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.

Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law. Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 22-7-1020 as follows: 22-7-1020. Cap administration of standardized summative assessments - federal waiver - definition.

(1) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRES, "SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT" MEANS AN ASSESSMENT THAT MEASURES LEARNING ACCUMULATED BY A STUDENT THROUGH A COURSE OF STUDY OVER A SEMESTER OR MORE AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE STUDENT'S KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.

TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY FEDERAL LAW, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL ENSURE THAT STANDARDIZED SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS ARE ADMINISTERED TO THE MINIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE WHILE STILL APPROPRIATELY AND EFFECTIVELY ASSESSING THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS.

(3) PURSUANT TO 20 U.S.C. SEC. 7861, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL, ASSESSMENTS TO THE MINIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE AS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (2) OF THIS SECTION, APPLY TO THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR A WAIVER OF STATE ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS PURSUANT TO 20 U.S.C. SEC. 6311 WITHIN NINETY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION. THE APPLICATION MAY BE FOR A STRATEGIC WAIVER THAT PROPOSES A SHORTENED ASSESSMENT, A SAMPLING MODEL OF ASSESSMENT, A MATRIX SAMPLING MODEL OF ASSESSMENT, OR ANY OTHER STRATEGY IDENTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

IF NECESSARY TO ADMINISTER SUMMATIVE

SECTION 2.

Safety clause. The general assembly finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.