S.B. 183

             1     

PROFICIENCY LEVELS OF STATEWIDE ASSESSMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson

             5     
House Sponsor: Bradley G. Last

             6     
             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
             31     
             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


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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