Relates to reforming the core curriculum assessments and the use thereof for student placements and teacher and principal evaluations; repealer

Summary of provisions

Section One - amends the education law by adding two new sections 208-b and 208-c to include English/language arts and mathematics assessments by stating the department shall develop and provide for the administration of English/language arts and mathematic assessments that are to be completed in the following periods of time for each of the following grades: (a) third grade, one hundred sixty minutes; (b) fourth grade, three hundred minutes; (c) fifth grade, one hundred and seventy minutes; (d) sixth grade, two hundred sixty-five minutes; (e) seventh grade, two hundred minutes; (1) eighth grade, three hundred twenty minutes. The results of each pupil's English/language arts and mathematics assessment shall be maintained by the department as confidential information and shall not be disclosed. The department shall in the establishment of proficiency levels for the English/language arts and mathematics assessments, utilize the values of identified as college ready indicators by the College Board in two thousand eleven so that the proficiency score for the English/language assessment shall not exceed a score of five hundred in the reading portion of the Scholastic Aptitude test and the proficiency score for the mathematics assessment t shall not exceed a score of five hundred in the mathematics portion of the Scholastic Aptitude test. The department shall provide to the teacher, who has administer an examination, established by the departments, to assess achievement of the common core curriculum standards, a report of the results of such examination administer to the pupils based upon such pupils' grad level, a copy of each graded examination and the results on such examination of pupils statewide in such grade. The department shall provide to the person in parental relation to each pupil who was administer an examination to asses achievement of common core curriculum standards, a report of such pupils results on such examination and a copy of each graded examination. The department shall publish and make available to the public a copy of each examination to assess achievement of the common core curriculum standards within sixty days of the administration of such exam.

Section Two - amends paragraph a of subdivision two of section 3012-c of the education law by stating that no such criteria shall include the scores received by students on state assessment and regents examinations in the annual professional performance reviews.

Section Three -amends clauses c and d of paragraph a of subdivision two of section 3012-c of the education law to state developing if they achieve a composite effectiveness score of 56-7 and ineffective if they achieve a composite effectiveness score of 0-55.

Section Four - amends paragraph a of subdivision two of section 3012-c of the education law stating that the standards prescribed by the commissioner shall not include the awarding or deduction of points based upon the scores of students on state assessment and regents examination.

Section Eleven - amends the education law by adding section 3211-b stating no school, school district or board of cooperative educational services shall use or consider student's score or scored on any common core standards examination or assessment to determine the placement or promotion of such student including, but not limited to, for purposes of admission to or continuance in any gifted or enrichment program, placement in any accelerated program, honors course or other selected course of study, grade retention, admission to any public school with selective admissions, and special education program placement. Provided, however, that such prohibition shall not apply to the provision of academic intervention services, when the school, school district or board of cooperative educational services utilizes at least one additional indication to determine that a student is in need of such services.

Section Thirteen - this act shall take effect July 1, 2014, provided that the sections two through twelve of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed July 1, 2017.

Justification

During the 2012-2013 school year, New York State began to incorporate Common-Core assessments. This is tied to the 2010 Board of Regents agreement that New York would be one of forty six states to adopt the Common Core state learning standards. This legislation would seek to place a 3 year moratorium on high stake testing and ensure that the Common Core assessments being put into place are fair, grade level appropriate and administered properly.

This legislation calls for a three year moratorium on attaching high-stakes consequences to state tests until representatives of all interested parties, including parents and educations, have worked with members of Congress, the state Legislature, the state Commissioner of Education and the Board of Regents to carefully examine how well the new curricula, professional development and tests align to the Common Core standards.

This moratorium will allow the state to continue administering the tests but will require that both the state pause in attaching to the tests results any high-states consequences for students, teachings or schools until all stakeholders are assured that the system for implementing Common Core Standards is working as it should to give our children the world-class education they deserve.

After much debate throughout New York State amongst teachers, educators, students and legislators it has become apparent that this assessment is fundamentally flawed. The Common Core standards have been adopted in 46 states and the District of Columbia without any

field tests. This imposition is not fair to our children who are being used as test objects.

Legislative history

New legislation.

Fiscal implications

None

Effective date

This act shall take effect July 1, 2014, provided that the sections two through twelve of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed July 1, 2017.