22^nd Alaska State Legislature
Information from Senator Lyda Green

Session: State Capitol, Room 125 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-6600 Fax: (907) 465-3805 Interim: 600 E. Railroad Ave. Wasilla, AK 99654-7035 Phone: (907) 376-3370 Fax: (907) 376-3157

Draft Legislative Proposal
High School
Graduation Qualifying Exam

Webmaster Note: This is now dated information. The proposal has changed. The current proposal will be posted on Senator Green's site under her Op-Ed section at the address below

http://www.akrepublicans.org/pastlegs/22ndleg/greenl.shtml#op-ed

The draft legislation creates a two-phase approach to solve the current situation where the state is facing the probability that a large number of high school students will fail the High School Graduation Qualifying Exam (HSGQE) and not receive a diploma. This proposal is meant to fortify the legal defensibility of the exam while addressing the needs of special needs students . Another goal is to provide an improved long-term system for testing students and the quality of their education, while also providing an incentive to do well on the exams and in school.

A TWO-PHASE APPROACH:

PHASE I:

A new section is added to the uncodified law of the state of Alaska that reads: Transition; Academic standards for public high school graduation:

1. Beginning January 1, 2002, and ending December 31, 2003, before graduating from public high school, each pupil is required to
   
   
1. take a competency examination or with the approval of the IEP team take an alternative assessment in the areas of reading, English, and mathematics; and
2. meet graduation requirements established by the state and the school board of the borough or city school district or regional educational attendance area in which the pupil is enrolled.
   
   
2. The Department of Education and Early Development shall determine the form and contents of the competency examinations and shall score completed examinations.
3. A pupil shall receive an endorsement on the pupil's diploma and transcripts identifying the areas of examination or assessment successfully passed.
4. The Department of Education and Early Development shall establish by regulation uniform standards for awarding endorsements required under (c) of this section.

PHASE II:

Amends Sec 14.03.075 to add language to codify the following:

Prior to January 1, 2004, the Department of Education and Early Development shall determine the form and content of a High School Essential Skills Examination (HSESE). The exam will focus on essential and foundational skills and content in the areas of reading, writing and arithmetic/mathematics which the general community would expect a student to have or know in order to function at an introductory level in our society.

Effective January 1, 2004, all students will have to pass the Alaska High School Essential Skills Examination and meet other district requirements in order to be eligible to receive a diploma. Additionally, identified special education students and 504 students (defined under 29 U.S.C. 794) who successfully complete the Alaska High School Essential Skills Examination, or alternative assessment as described and required in a student's individual education plan or 504 plan (developed under 29 U.S.C. 794), and meet other district requirements, shall be eligible to receive a high school diploma. Course of study and exams taken and passed will be reflected on the student's transcript and diploma.

In addition, the department is directed to develop a waiver for students to receive their diploma if they meet other district requirements yet fail the HSESE. The standards for the waiver will be determined by the Department.

ADDITIONALLY, THE LEGISLATION INCLUDES:

1. The department shall develop uniform standards for recording information on the student transcript;
2. A Requirement that the exit exams are NOT administered on a school day, e.g. the exams should be administered on inservice days;
3. That the board develop uniform instruction language for those who administer the HSESE to be used at test time;

INTENT LANGUAGE

Intent Language is added:

The Department of Education and Early Development shall determine procedures that are reasonable, fair and in the best interest of the student. Schools and districts are encouraged to develop and promote endorsements and awards which document high levels of achievement (ex: proficient and advanced), specific or career pathways or preparations (ex: technical, academic, arts, vocational) or significant achievement or accomplishment (ex: artistic, academic, vocational or technical) on the part of students graduating from their school or district.

Background related to special education and 504 (29 U.S.C. 794) students and the attached legislative proposal - Proposed Legislative Language - HSGQE/HSESE

Given that the High School Graduation Qualifying Exam (HSGQE) is revised to focus specifically on essential skills (High School Essential Skills Exam - HSESE) which the general community would expect an individual to have or know in order to function at an introductory level in our society, THEN students with disabilities should be expected to meet the following conditions and ? terms to receive a high school diploma:

1. Successfully complete their course of study and district graduation requirements as described and required in District policy and student IEP; and
2. pass the revised AK HSGQE/AK HSESE or an alternative assessment as described and required in the student's IEP.

In short - Students who successfully complete the revised HSGQE/HSESE (or alternative assessment as described and required in the student's IEP), AND meet other district requirements should receive a high school diploma

(Note: This differs from current law, which does not allow a HS diploma for students who do not pass the current HSGQE. Under current law, modifications am not allowed for the HSGQE, and students with disabilities who complete their course of study and their alternative assessment as described or required in their IEP receive only a certificate of attendance.)

The proposed legislative language is intended to allow students with disabilities to participate in the state competency program as follows

The student's IEP of 504 (29 U.S.C. 794) team will adhere to all applicable federal and state laws and regulations when making decisions relative to that student's participation in the revised HSGQE (HSESE):

There are three pathways related to the revised HSGQE/HSESE for students with disabilities:

• Participation in regular assessments without accommodations or modifications.
• Participation in regular assessments with accommodations or modifications.
• Participation in an alternative assessment prescribed by the IEP or 504 (29 U.S.C. 794) team.

Further discussion regarding rationale and ground rules for IEP notation and decision making.

When a decision by the team is made for the Student to participate in regular assessments with accommodations or modifications, then the required accommodations or modifications should be specified in the student's IEP or 504 plan. The IEP or 504 (29 U.S.C. 794) plan should document the reason for the accommodations or modifications.

Accommodations or modifications should not give a student with a disability in unfair advantage, compromise test security, or artificially raise the test score for that student Accommodations or modifications identified for a student: should be those that lessen the affect of the student's disability.

Districts and sites can report on site and district report cards such information as the numbers of students graduating each year and the numbers of students who, graduated with modifications; or alternative assessments and the types of modifications and alternative assessments allowed or used. To protect individual student privacy this information can be reported without reference to specific student names. These reports can provide information to be used in system reviews for accountability and improvement efforts by such entities as the districts and sites themselves, AK Department of Education and Early Development, State School Board, the public, Legislature, etc.

"Target and Taught Skills and Content" vs "Essential Skills and Content"

For each of the skills or content in a discipline or field of study, we can ask the question - is this something we want our students to know and be able to do ... The answers to this question provide direction and content for our schools' curriculum and instruction. Those skills and content are identified and described by content and performance standards. The Alaska State Performance Standards list and describe what we want our students to know and be able to do in reading, writing and math. The Alaska State Performance Standards identify the targeted and taught skills and content in our schools. The Alaska State Performance Standards are a guide to good instruction and solid curriculum.

The "Essential Skills and Content" is a sub set of the targeted skills and content. These are the skills and knowledge that a person would need to have or know to function at a basic or introductory level in our society.

To determine if a given performance standard or exam question reflected an essential skill or content," a committee of community members, business people, and educators asked the following question: would you deny a diploma to a person if he or she did not have that skill or know that content?

These are two different questions:

1. what do we want our students to know, be able to do?
2. would you deny a diploma to a student if he or she did not have that skill or know that content?

These two questions are being confused with each other in the current AK HSGQE debate.

The following diagram provides an overview of the relationship of the targeted skills and content (described by the performance standards) and the foundational/essential skills and content.

Essential Skills as a sub set of the Targeted and Taught Curriculum

State performance standards list and describe the "targeted and taught skills and content" in reading, writing and math. These standards describe what we "want our students to know and be able to do." The state performance standards are a guide to good instruction and solid Curriculum

The "Essential Skills and Content" is a sub set of the targeted skills and content. These are the skills and knowledge that a person would need to have or know to function at a basic or introductory level in our society.

To determine if a given performance standard or exam question reflected an essential skill or content," the committee asked the following question: would you deny a diploma to a person if he or she did not have that skill or know that content?

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Attachments:

• SB 133 - Bill History/Action
  
• Print Friendly Version - first two pages
  requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 2 page(s) - 124 K
• Print Friendly Version - last four pages
  requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 4 page(s) - 115 K

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