2002-01-23                     House Journal                      Page 2042
HB 352                                                                                            
HOUSE BILL NO. 352 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                       
the Governor, entitled:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
     "An Act extending the dates for assignment of performance                                      
     designations of public schools and the dates for reports and                                   
     monitoring based on those designations; and providing for an                                   
     effective date."                                                                               
                                                                                                    
was read the first time and referred to the House Special Committee on                              
Education and the Health, Education & Social Services Committee.                                    
                                                                                                    
The following fiscal note(s) apply:                                                                 
                                                                                                    
1.  Zero, Dept. of Education & Early Development                                                    
                                                                                                    
The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 21, 2002, appears                                   
below:                                                                                              
                                                                                                    
"Dear Speaker Porter:                                                                               
                                                                                                    
I am transmitting this bill extending the date for public school                                    
performance designations to September 2004, aligning it with the                                    
secondary school student competency testing examination.  Aligning                                  
the effective date of these two programs makes sense because the                                    

2002-01-23                     House Journal                      Page 2043
school performance designations are based on student achievement,                                   
including the results of the competency exam.                                                       
                                                                                                    
The additional time will allow the Department of Education and Early                                
Development to do three things regarding school performance                                         
designations:                                                                                       
                                                                                                    
     · Align state programs with the new requirements of the federal                                
         Elementary and Secondary Education Act;                                                    
     · Collect the data necessary to measure growth;                                                
     · Build the capacity to effectively collect, analyze, and use the                              
         data.                                                                                      
                                                                                                    
Correspondingly, the bill also delays the effective date for department                             
reports and monitoring that are to be based on school designations.  In                             
addition, the bill clarifies that school designations are intended to                               
reflect student achievement of 'essential skills.'  It is those skills that                         
students are tested on throughout the standardized testing program                                  
mandated by state law.                                                                              
                                                                                                    
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                            
                                                                                                    
                                Sincerely,                                                         
                                /s/                                                                 
                                Tony Knowles                                                        
                                 Governor"