SB 133: "An Act relating to a two-year transition for implementation of the public high school competency examination and to establishing an essential skills examination as a high school graduation requirement; and providing for an effective date."
00 SENATE BILL NO. 133 01 "An Act relating to a two-year transition for implementation of the public high school 02 competency examination and to establishing an essential skills examination as a high 03 school graduation requirement; and providing for an effective date." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 06 to read: 07 INTENT. It is the intent of this Act 08 (1) to encourage schools and school districts to develop and promote 09 endorsements and awards that document high levels of academic, artistic, or vocational 10 achievement on the part of graduating students; 11 (2) to implement testing procedures that are reasonable, fair, and in the best 12 interest of students who are being tested; and 13 (3) that the high school essential skills examination focus on essential and 14 foundational skills in the areas of reading, English, and mathematics that the general
01 community would expect a student to have or know in order to function in our society. 02 * Sec. 2. AS 14.03.075, added by sec. 1, ch. 58, SLA 1997, is amended to read: 03 Sec. 14.03.075. High school essential skills examination [SECONDARY 04 PUPIL COMPETENCY TESTING]. (a) A student [PUPIL] may not be issued a 05 secondary school diploma unless the student [PUPIL] passes a high school essential 06 skills [COMPETENCY] examination in the areas of reading, English, and 07 mathematics or receives a waiver from the department. The department shall 08 determine the form and contents of the examination and shall score completed 09 examinations. [A PUPIL WHO FAILS TO PASS THE EXAMINATION 10 REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION AND WHO IS NO LONGER IN 11 ATTENDANCE SHALL RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE FROM 12 THE SCHOOL DISTRICT INDICATING THE YEARS OF ATTENDANCE AND 13 THAT THE PUPIL HAS NOT PASSED A COMPETENCY EXAMINATION OR 14 RECEIVED A DIPLOMA.] 15 (b) A student [PUPIL] who fails the examination required under this section 16 may be reexamined under procedures established by the department [. A 17 REEXAMINATION MAY NOT BE OFFERED MORE OFTEN THAN ONCE 18 EVERY THREE MONTHS AND MUST OCCUR WITHIN THREE YEARS AFTER 19 THE DATE THE PUPIL IS NO LONGER IN ATTENDANCE. A PUPIL WHO 20 PASSES THE REEXAMINATION AND WHO MEETS ANY OTHER 21 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS SHALL RECEIVE A DIPLOMA FROM THE 22 SCHOOL DISTRICT]. 23 * Sec. 3. AS 14.03.075, added by sec. 1, ch. 58, SLA 1997, is amended by adding new 24 subsections to read: 25 (c) An examination required under (a) of this section may not be administered 26 during a day in session, and final examination results shall be recorded on each 27 student's transcripts. 28 (d) A student who is a child with a disability and who does not achieve a 29 passing score on the examination required under (a) of this section is eligible to 30 receive a diploma if the student 31 (1) completes an alternative assessment program required by the
01 student's individualized education program team or required in the education plan 02 developed for the student under 29 U.S.C. 794; and 03 (2) meets other requirements for graduation imposed by the board. 04 (e) The department shall by regulation establish 05 (1) uniform standards for 06 (A) pre-examination study materials; 07 (B) procedures to be followed during administration of an 08 examination; 09 (C) awarding a waiver under (a) of this section; and 10 (2) procedures for recording examination results on a student's 11 transcripts. 12 (f) In this section, 13 (1) "child with a disability" has the meaning given "children with 14 disabilities" in AS 14.30.350; 15 (2) "individualized education program team" has the meaning given in 16 AS 14.30.350. 17 * Sec. 4. AS 14.07.165 is amended to read: 18 Sec. 14.07.165. Duties. The board shall adopt 19 (1) statewide goals and require each governing body to adopt written 20 goals that are consistent with local needs; 21 (2) regulations regarding the application for and award of grants under 22 AS 14.03.125; 23 (3) regulations implementing provisions of AS 14.11.014(b); 24 (4) regulations requiring approval by the board before a charter school, 25 state boarding school, or a public school may provide domiciliary services; 26 (5) regulations implementing the high school essential skills 27 examination provisions of AS 14.03.075. 28 * Sec. 5. Section 3, ch. 58, SLA 1997, is amended to read: 29 Sec. 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2004 [2002]. 30 * Sec. 6. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 31 read:
01 APPLICABILITY. The academic standards and requirements required by 02 AS 14.03.075, as amended by secs. 2 and 3 of this Act, apply to students who graduate on or 03 after January 1, 2004. 04 * Sec. 7. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 05 read: 06 TRANSITION; ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL 07 GRADUATION. (a) Beginning January 1, 2002, and ending December 31, 2003, before 08 graduating from public high school, each student is required to 09 (1) take a competency examination or an alternative assessment approved by 10 the student's individualized education program team in the areas of reading, English, and 11 mathematics; and 12 (2) meet academic requirements established by the state and the school board 13 of the borough or city school district or regional educational attendance area in which the 14 student is enrolled. 15 (b) The Department of Education and Early Development shall determine the form 16 and contents of the competency examination and shall score completed examinations. A 17 competency examination may not be administered during a day in session. 18 (c) A student shall receive an endorsement on the student's diploma and transcript 19 identifying the areas of the examination successfully passed. 20 * Sec. 8. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 21 read: 22 TRANSITION: REGULATIONS. The Department of Education and Early 23 Development shall establish by regulation uniform standards for awarding an endorsement 24 required under sec. 7(c) of this Act. 25 * Sec. 9. Sections 2 and 3 of this Act take effect January 1, 2004. 26 * Sec. 10. Section 8 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 27 * Sec. 11. Except as provided in secs. 9 and 10 of this Act, this Act takes effect January 1, 28 2002.