Legislature(1997 - 1998)
1997-05-09 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf1997-05-09 Senate Journal Page 1895 SB 200 SENATE BILL NO. 200 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled: An Act establishing performance standards for elementary and secondary students, requiring a comprehensive system of assessment, and requiring a high school graduation examination. was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education and Social Services and Finance Committees. 1997-05-09 Senate Journal Page 1896 SB 200 Fiscal note published today from Department of Education. Governors transmittal letter dated May 7: Dear President Miller: Alaskans want the best from our public school system, including the assurance that students earning a high school diploma have mastered the skills necessary to prepare them for the work force. For that reason, I am transmitting this bill establishing educational standards for elementary and secondary students. It requires the Department of Education to set performance standards in reading, writing, and mathematics and to establish systems to assess whether those standards are being met by students in school districts throughout the state. The bill is intended to establish a comprehensive approach to testing of students. It provides for testing to occur early and often during a students years in school. In addition to expecting the most from their child, parents have a right to expect a school district to be accountable for their childs achievement, and have a right to know the child is learning and progressing. Experience from other states shows a single, stand-alone exit test at the end of a students school years is counterproductive; it does not enhance student learning, but rather sets the child up for failure. Instead, comprehensive testing should occur at the primary, intermediate, middle school, and high school levels. Testing which holds both the school district and the student accountable for educational achievement will allow reasonable goals to be accomplished. These goals include expanded parental involvement, measured student progress in basic skills, and remediation for students not reaching appropriate educational standards. 1997-05-09 Senate Journal Page 1897 SB 200 Under this bill, the Department of Education would adopt regulations establishing state performance standards for reading, writing, and mathematics and require each school district to develop a system for assessing student progress in meeting those performance standards. School districts would develop a system to provide information to parents and to students about the students progress, along with a program of remediation for those students who are not attaining the standards. The districts would also conduct developmental screening for primary students. This bill also requires the Department of Education to determine the form and content of a state graduation examination to be administered to all twelfth grade students after January1, 2003, to test proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics. A student would be allowed to receive a high school graduation diploma if the student met the school districts requirements and passed the state examination; students who dont pass the state examination would be given a certificate of attendance, not a diploma. If the student passed the examination after retaking it, the student would then be awarded a high school diploma. Enactment of this bill into law will greatly increase the likelihood that students graduating from high schools across Alaska will be able to meet a state standard of proficiency in basic educational skills. The state is long overdue for a comprehensive system of testing to ensure minimum levels of proficiency that any public school student at any grade level anywhere in the state can attain. This is an important bill for Alaskas students and parents. Sincerely, /s/ Tony Knowles Governor