S.B. 183
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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill imposes requirements regarding proficiency levels of statewide assessments.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 . requires the State Board of Education to:
13 . establish four proficiency levels for each statewide assessment;
14 . develop proficiency level descriptors for each proficiency level of each
15 statewide assessment;
16 . develop proficiency level descriptors for the top two proficiency levels that
17 describe the knowledge and skills a student should obtain to be on a trajectory
18 for postsecondary success;
19 . set cut scores for statewide assessments using the National Assessment of
20 Educational Progress as a benchmark; and
21 . establish procedures for developing proficiency levels, proficiency level
22 descriptors, and cut scores that provide for the active participation of educators,
23 parents, higher education representatives, and employers.
24 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
25 None
26 Other Special Clauses:
27 None
28 Utah Code Sections Affected:
29 ENACTS:
30 53A-1-604.5 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
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32 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
33 Section 1. Section 53A-1-604.5 is enacted to read:
34 53A-1-604.5. Proficiency levels, proficiency level descriptors, and cut scores for
35 statewide assessments.
36 (1) As used in this section:
37 (a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
38 (b) "Cut score" means the lowest scale score of a proficiency level of a statewide
39 assessment.
40 (c) "NAEP" means the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
41 (d) "Proficiency level descriptor" means a description of the knowledge and skills of a
42 student who scores within a certain proficiency level on a statewide assessment.
43 (e) "Statewide assessment" means an online computer adaptive test:
44 (i) of student achievement in language arts, mathematics, or science; and
45 (ii) which is administered statewide under this part.
46 (2) The board shall:
47 (a) identify and generally describe four levels of proficiency that are applicable to all
48 statewide assessments; and
49 (b) use the general descriptions of the four proficiency levels as a guideline to develop
50 proficiency level descriptors for each statewide assessment.
51 (3) (a) The board shall develop proficiency level descriptors for each statewide
52 assessment.
53 (b) For the top two levels of proficiency of each statewide assessment, the board shall
54 develop proficiency descriptors that describe the knowledge and skills a student should obtain
55 to be:
56 (i) on a trajectory for postsecondary success; and
57 (ii) prepared for entry-level course work without remediation in postsecondary
58 education or training.
59 (4) (a) The board shall set the cut scores for the top three proficiency levels for each
60 statewide assessment.
61 (b) In setting cut scores for statewide assessments of language arts or mathematics
62 achievement, the board shall use the NAEP as a benchmark so that the percentage of students
63 who are proficient in language arts or mathematics as measured by a statewide assessment is
64 approximately equal to the percentage of Utah students who are proficient in the same subject
65 as measured by the NAEP.
66 (5) The board shall establish procedures for developing proficiency levels, proficiency
67 level descriptors, and cut scores for statewide assessments that provide for the active
68 participation of educators, content area specialists, parents, higher education representatives,
69 and employers.
Legislative Review Note
as of 1-10-14 1:59 PM