Requires a study and report on the total cost of student assessments and establishes a committee to review content on standardized test items and passages; appropriation

Summary of specific provisions

Section § 1 amends the Education law to direct the commissioner to undertake a study about the costs of developing and administering student assessments. Section

§ 2 directs the commissioner to conduct a survey of school administrators and teachers about the effect of student assessments on teaching and learning.

§ 3 section 305, 51-a. directs on or before June 1, 2015 and each year thereafter, the commissioner shall release a significant a significant amount of test questions and corresponding correct answer from each of the most recently administered English language arts and mathematics examinations in grades three through eight of that year. The number of questions and answers released shall not be so significant as to hinder of impair the validity and/or view of each examination but shall provide enough of an overview of each examination so that teachers administrators, principals, parents and students can be provided with sufficient feedback on the types of questions administered by July first, two thousand fifteen and each year thereafter, the commissioner shall release the general student success rate in answering such questions correctly

§ 4 Section 305.55. Directs the commissioner and authorizes him/her to establish a content review committee for the purpose of reviewing any standardized test items and/or selected passages for use on state assessments in grades three through eight to insure that they are grade appropriate and that the complexity of the items and passages are within grade-level expectations. Such committee shall also ensure that any test items and/or selected passages are fair and appropriately measures and learning standards approved by the board of regents applicable to such subject and/or grade level. Such committee shall also ensure that adequate and appropriate time is given to students for the administration of such assessments, provided however that subdivision forty-nine of this sections must be complied with. The content review committee shall include classroom teachers and experienced educators in the content area and/or grade level of the items/passages being reviewed, including teachers of students with disabilities and English languages learners.

§ 5. The sum of eight million four hundred thousand dollars ($8,400,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of education out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated, and made immediately available, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act subdivision 51-a of section 305 of the education law, as added by section three of this act, and in order to create and print more forms of state standardized assessments in order to eliminate stand-alone multiple choice field tests and release a significant amount of test questions. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the commissioner of education in the manner prescribed by law.

Justification

This bill calls for a review and analysis of the costs associated with statewide assessments of students in school districts throughout the stare. Testing costs money and time and therefore requires resources. Over the past several years, there has been an increased emphasis on testing to evaluate student progress. The question is: has the increased emphasis on testing captured more state and local resources, has this affected other aspects of education including classroom teaching, college and career preparation and special services to students with special needs and, if so, how? The information collected through the study required by this bill will provide a snapshot about public resources for educational testing and start a conversation about the appropriate distribution of resources for assessments, curriculum and graduation requirements and other essential components of a sound, basic education.

Prior legislative history

4/19/13 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION 1/08/14 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Local fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.