Today's Law As Amended


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AB-1015 High schools: requirements for graduation.(2007-2008)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.

 Chapter 9.5 (commencing with Section 60865) is added to Part 33 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:

CHAPTER  9.5. High School Graduation Competency
60865.
 (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) Basing the high stakes decision of high school graduation on performance on a single examination is a violation of professional standards.
(2) States that use multiple measures to evaluate the proficiency required to graduate from high school have richer, more varied high school curricula.
(3) High school pupils from states that use multiple measures to evaluate the proficiency required to graduate from high school score higher than pupils from states that use a single measure on norm referenced tests.
(4) Involving teachers in the development of locally developed performance measures of pupil proficiency results in stronger connections between what is measured in the assessments and what is taught in the classroom.
(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to establish a process to lead to the development of a multiple measures approach to determine eligibility to receive a high school diploma. It is further the intent of the Legislature that additional measures supplement and not replace the high school exit examination established pursuant to Section 60850 and that, in using a multiple measures approach, no single measure be used as the only determinant of eligibility to receive a high school diploma.
60866.
 (a) The Superintendent, in consultation with the Secretary for Education and the High School Exit Examination Standards Panel established pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 60850, shall identify alternative criteria and measures by which high school pupils who are regarded as proficient but unable to pass the high school exit examination may demonstrate their competence and receive a high school diploma. The alternative criteria shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) An exemplary academic record, as evidenced by transcripts.
(2) Alternative assessments, including local and state developed standards-aligned performance assessments of equal rigor to, and in the academic areas covered by, the high school exit examination.
(3) Opportunities for pupils to demonstrate competence through the development of portfolios of finished coursework or the completion of other learning projects.
(b) The Superintendent shall hold in different areas of the state at least three public hearings related to the demonstration of competency to receive a high school diploma. The hearings shall include the consideration of testimony by independent assessment experts, teachers, pupils, parents, and the public, and a review of both of the following:
(1) High school exit examination results, with specific attention to differences in test results among pupil subgroups, including, but not limited to, English language learners.
(2) The multiple measures approaches used for high stakes educational decisions in other states.
(c) The Superintendent shall report his or her findings pursuant to this section and make recommendations for the development of a multiple measures approach to the Legislature no later than October 1, 2009.