Senate Bill text for SB0460

SENATE BILL 460

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2008

INTRODUCED BY

Cynthia Nava

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; CHANGING THE STATEWIDE COLLEGE AND WORKPLACE READINESS ASSESSMENTS; ALLOWING THE ELEVENTH GRADE STANDARDS-BASED ASSESSMENTS TO SERVE AS THE ASSESSMENT REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION; CHANGING THE DATE BY WHICH ASSESSMENT RULES MUST BE PROMULGATED; RECONCILING MULTIPLE AMENDMENTS TO THE SAME SECTION OF LAW IN LAWS 2007.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 22-2C-4.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2007, Chapter 307, Section 4 and Laws 2007, Chapter 308, Section 4) is amended to read:

"22-2C-4.1. STATEWIDE COLLEGE AND WORKPLACE READINESS ASSESSMENT SYSTEM.--

A. The department shall establish a readiness assessment system to measure the readiness of every New Mexico high school student for success in higher education or a career no later than the 2008-2009 school year. The department shall ensure that the readiness assessment system is aligned with state academic content and performance standards, college placement tests and entry-level career skill requirements. The readiness assessment system shall include the following components:

(1) [a high school readiness assessment in English, reading, mathematics and science in the fall semester of] in grade nine, a short-cycle diagnostic assessment in reading, language arts and mathematics to be locally administered in the fall and at least two additional times during the year;

(2) [a college readiness assessment in English, reading and mathematics] in grade ten, a short-cycle diagnostic assessment in reading, language arts and mathematics that also serves as an early indicator of college readiness, to be locally administered at least three times during the year; and

(3) [a workplace readiness assessment to assess applied skills in reading, mathematics and locating information] in grade eleven, in the fall, one or more of the following chosen by the student:

(a) a college placement assessment;

(b) a workforce readiness assessment; or

B. All students at the specified grade level shall participate in the readiness assessment system at no cost to the student.

C. The department shall ensure that results of performance on readiness assessments administered in grades nine and ten are reported to students, parents and public schools no later than four weeks following the date on which the assessments are administered, in a form that is easily understandable and useful in the next-step planning process. Reports of assessment results shall be provided to students and parents in writing whenever possible, but, if necessary, orally in the language best understood by each student and parent.

D. The department shall adopt standards for reasonable accommodations in the administration of readiness assessments for students with disabilities and limited English proficiency, including when and how accommodations may be applied.

E. In developing [or], selecting or approving the high school or college readiness assessments for school district or charter school use, the department may adopt commercially available standards-based assessments or approve a school district's or charter school's short-cycle assessments that meet the requirements of this section. The department shall involve appropriate licensed school employees in the development or selection of readiness assessments."

Section 2. Section 22-13-1.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1986, Chapter 33, Section 5, as amended by Laws 2007, Chapter 305, Section 1 and by Laws 2007, Chapter 307, Section 8 and also by Laws 2007, Chapter 308, Section 8) is amended to read:

"22-13-1.1. GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.--

A. At the end of grades eight through eleven, each student shall prepare an interim next-step plan that sets forth the coursework for the grades remaining until high school graduation. Each year's plan shall explain any differences from previous interim next-step plans, shall be filed with the principal of the student's high school and shall be signed by the student, the student's parent and the student's guidance counselor or other school official charged with coursework planning for the student.

B. Each student must complete a final next-step plan during the senior year and prior to graduation. The plan shall be filed with the principal of the student's high school and shall be signed by the student, the student's parent and the student's guidance counselor or other school official charged with coursework planning for the student.

C. An individualized education program that meets the requirements of Subsections A and B of this section and that meets all applicable transition and procedural requirements of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for a student with a disability shall satisfy the next-step plan requirements of this section for that student.

D. A local school board shall ensure that each high school student has the opportunity to develop a next-step plan based on reports of college and workplace readiness assessments, as available, and other factors and is reasonably informed about:

(1) curricular and course options, including honors or advanced placement courses, dual-credit courses, distance learning courses, career clusters or remediation programs that the college and workplace readiness assessments indicate to be appropriate;

(2) opportunities available that lead to different post-high-school options; and

(3) alternative opportunities available if the student does not finish a planned curriculum.

E. The secretary shall:

(1) establish specific accountability standards for administrators, counselors, teachers and school district staff to ensure that every student has the opportunity to develop a next-step plan;

(2) promulgate rules for accredited private schools in order to ensure substantial compliance with the provisions of this section;

(3) monitor compliance with the requirements of this section; and

(4) compile such information as is necessary to evaluate the success of next-step plans and report annually, by December 15, to the legislative education study committee and the governor.

F. Successful completion of a minimum of

twenty-three units aligned to the state academic content and performance standards shall be required for graduation. These units shall be as follows:

(1) four units in English, with major emphasis on grammar and literature;

(2) three units in mathematics, at least one of which is equivalent to the algebra 1 level or higher;

(3) two units in science, one of which shall have a laboratory component; provided, however, that with students entering the ninth grade beginning in the 2005-2006 school year, three units in science shall be required, one of which shall have a laboratory component;

(4) three units in social science, which shall include United States history and geography, world history and geography and government and economics;

(5) one unit in physical education;

(6) one unit in communication skills or business education, with a major emphasis on writing and speaking and that may include a language other than English;

(7) one-half unit in New Mexico history for students entering the ninth grade beginning in the 2005-2006 school year; and

(8) nine elective units and seven and

one-half elective units for students entering the ninth grade in the 2005-2006 school year that meet department content and performance standards. Student service learning shall be offered as an elective. Financial literacy shall be offered as an elective.

G. For students entering the ninth grade beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, at least one of the units required for graduation shall be earned as an advanced placement or honors course, a dual-credit course offered in cooperation with an institution of higher education or a distance learning course.

H. The department shall establish a procedure for students to be awarded credit through completion of specified career technical education courses for certain graduation requirements.

I. Successful completion of the requirements of the New Mexico diploma of excellence shall be required for graduation for students entering the ninth grade beginning in the 2009-2010 school year. Successful completion of a minimum of twenty-four units aligned to the state academic content and performance standards shall be required to earn a New Mexico diploma of excellence. These units shall be as follows:

(1) four units in English, with major emphasis on grammar, nonfiction writing and literature;

(2) four units in mathematics, of which one shall be the equivalent to or higher than the level of algebra 2, unless the parent submitted written, signed permission for the student to complete a lesser mathematics unit;

(3) three units in science, two of which shall have a laboratory component;

(4) three and one-half units in social science, which shall include United States history and geography, world history and geography and government and economics, and one-half unit of New Mexico history;

(5) one unit in physical education;

(6) one unit in one of the following:

a career cluster course, workplace readiness or a language other than English; and

(7) seven and one-half elective units that meet department content and performance standards. Student service learning shall be offered as an elective. Financial literacy shall be offered as an elective.

J. Final examinations shall be administered to all students in all classes offered for credit.

K. Until July 1, 2010, a student who has not passed a state graduation examination in the subject areas of reading, English, mathematics, writing, science and social science shall not receive a high school diploma. The state graduation examination on social science shall include a section on the constitution of the United States and the constitution of New Mexico. If a student exits from the school system at the end of grade twelve without having passed a state graduation examination, the student shall receive an appropriate state certificate indicating the number of credits earned and the grade completed. If within five years after a student exits from the school system the student takes and passes the state graduation examination, the student may receive a high school diploma.

L. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, a student shall not receive a New Mexico diploma of excellence if the student has not demonstrated competence in the subject areas of mathematics, reading and language arts, writing, social studies and science, including a section on the constitution of the United States and the constitution of New Mexico, based on a standards-based assessment or assessments or a portfolio of standards-based indicators established by the department by rule [no later than January 15, 2008]. The standards-based assessments required in Section 22-2C-4 NMSA 1978 may also serve as the assessment required for high school graduation. If a student exits from the school system at the end of grade twelve without having satisfied the requirements of this subsection, the student shall receive an appropriate state certificate indicating the number of credits earned and the grade completed. If within five years after a student exits from the school system the student satisfies the requirement of this subsection, the student may receive a New Mexico diploma of excellence.

M. As used in this section:

(1) "final next-step plan" means a next-step plan that shows that the student has committed or intends to commit in the near future to a four-year college or university, a two-year college, a trade or vocational program, an internship or apprenticeship, military service or a job;

(2) "interim next-step plan" means an annual next-step plan in which the student specifies post-high-school goals and sets forth the coursework that will allow the student to achieve those goals; and

(3) "next-step plan" means an annual personal written plan of studies developed by a student in a public school or other state-supported school or institution in consultation with the student's parent and school counselor or other school official charged with coursework planning for the student that includes one or more of the following:

(a) advanced placement or honors courses;

(b) dual-credit courses offered in cooperation with an institution of higher education; and

N. The secretary may establish a policy to provide for administrative interpretations to clarify curricular and testing provisions of the Public School Code."

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