HOUSE BILL 185
53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017
INTRODUCED BY
Joanne J. Ferrary and Linda M. Trujillo and Christine Trujillo and Nathan P. Small and Stephanie Garcia Richard
AN ACT
RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; AMENDING THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF DAYS PER SEMESTER THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS SHALL ADMINISTER REQUIRED STATEWIDE ASSESSMENTS TO STUDENTS AND TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF ASSESSMENTS PER DAY.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. Section 22-2C-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003, Chapter 153, Section 13, as amended) is amended to read:
"22-2C-4. STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM--INDICATORS--REQUIRED ASSESSMENTS--ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENTS--LIMITS ON ALTERNATIVES TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE READING ASSESSMENTS.--
A. The department shall establish a statewide assessment and accountability system that is aligned with the state academic content and performance standards.
B. The academic assessment program shall test student achievement as follows; provided that the total class time to administer the assessments required in this section and in Section 22-2C-4.1 NMSA 1978 shall not exceed five days in the fall semester and five days in the spring semester in any school year; and provided further that no student shall be required to take more than one assessment per day without regard for the source of the assessment, including school, school district, state or federal assessments:
(1) for grades three through eight and for grade eleven, standards-based assessments in mathematics, reading and language arts;
(2) for grades three through eight, a standards-based writing assessment with the writing assessment scoring criteria applied to the extended response writing portions of the language arts standards-based assessments; and
(3) for one of grades three through five and six through eight and for grade eleven, standards-based assessments in science by the 2007-2008 school year.
C. The department shall involve appropriate licensed school employees in the development of the standards-based assessments.
D. Before August 5 of each year, the department shall provide student scores on all standards-based assessments taken during the prior school year and required in Subsection B of this section to students' respective school districts in order to make test score data available to assist school district staff with appropriate grade-level and other placement for the current school year.
E. All students shall participate in the academic assessment program. The department shall adopt standards for reasonable accommodations in standards-based assessments for students with disabilities and limited English proficiency, including when and how accommodations may be applied. The legislative education study committee shall review the standards prior to adoption by the department.
F. Students who have been determined to be limited English proficient may be allowed to take the standards-based assessment in their primary language. A student who has attended school for three consecutive years in the United States shall participate in the English language reading assessment unless granted a waiver by the department based on criteria established by the department. An English language reading assessment waiver may be granted only for a maximum of two additional years and only on a case-by-case basis."
SECTION 2. Section 22-2C-4.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2007, Chapter 307, Section 4 and Laws 2007, Chapter 308, Section 4, as amended) 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, for grade eleven, in the fall, one or more of the following components chosen by the student:
(1) a college placement assessment;
(2) a workforce readiness assessment; or
(3) an alternative demonstration of competency using standards-based indicators.
B. Students shall participate in the readiness assessment system at no cost to the student.
C. The total class time to administer the assessments required in this section and in Section 22-2C-4 NMSA 1978 shall not exceed five days in the fall semester and five days in the spring semester in any school year; provided that no student shall be required to take more than one assessment per day without regard for the source of the assessment, including school, school district, state or federal assessments.
[C.] D. 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.] E. 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.] F. In developing, 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 diagnostic assessments that meet the requirements of this section. The department shall involve appropriate licensed school employees in the development or selection of readiness assessments."
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