S.B. 209 Enrolled

             1     

SCHOOL GRADING REVISIONS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: J. Stuart Adams

             5     
House Sponsor: Gregory H. Hughes

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies procedures and standards for assigning a letter grade to a school
             10      based on the proficiency, learning gains, or college and career readiness of the school's
             11      students.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    modifies the definition of sufficient growth;
             15          .    requires the State Board of Education to establish a growth target for a student for
             16      each statewide assessment the student takes;
             17          .    requires the State Board of Education to create an alignment of scale scores when
             18      transitioning between assessment systems;
             19          .    exempts from school grading a school that is designated as an alternative school by
             20      the State Board of Education;
             21          .    requires the State Board of Education to annually evaluate an alternative school in
             22      accordance with an accountability plan developed by the State Board of Education;
             23          .    exempts certain schools from school grading;
             24          .    defines a combination school and requires the State Board of Education to assign
             25      two school grades to a combination school;
             26          .    modifies the calculation of a high school's graduation rate;
             27          .    establishes a standard for determining whether a student is college ready for the
             28      purpose of school grading;
             29          .    requires the State Board of Education to lower a school grade by one letter grade if


             30      student participation in testing is less than 95%;
             31          .    provides for exceptions to certain requirements for the purpose of determining
             32      school grades for the 2013-14 school year; and
             33          .    makes technical amendments.
             34      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             35          None
             36      Other Special Clauses:
             37          None
             38      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             39      AMENDS:
             40           53A-1-1102 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 478
             41           53A-1-1103 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 478 and last amended by
             42      Coordination Clause, Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 478
             43           53A-1-1104 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 417
             44           53A-1-1107 , as repealed and reenacted by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 478
             45           53A-1-1108 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 478 and last amended by
             46      Coordination Clause, Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 478
             47           53A-1-1110 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 478
             48      ENACTS:
             49           53A-1-1104.5 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             50           53A-1-1107.5 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             51           53A-1-1114 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             52     
             53      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             54          Section 1. Section 53A-1-1102 is amended to read:
             55           53A-1-1102. Definitions.
             56          As used in this part:
             57          (1) "Alternative school" means a school:


             58          (a) established to serve youth who are not succeeding in a traditional school
             59      environment; and
             60          (b) designated as an alternative school by the State Board of Education.
             61          (2) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
             62          (3) "Combination school" means a school that includes:
             63          (a) grade 12; and
             64          (b) a grade lower than grade 7.
             65          [(1)] (4) "High school" means:
             66          (a) a school that:
             67          (i) includes grade 12[.]; and
             68          (ii) does not include any grade lower than grade 7; or
             69          (b) grades 9 through 12 of a combination school.
             70          (5) "Individualized education program" or "IEP" means a written statement, for a
             71      student with a disability, that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with the
             72      Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.
             73          [(2)] (6) "Statewide assessment" means[: (a)] a criterion-referenced test of student
             74      achievement in language arts, mathematics, or science, including a test administered in a
             75      computer adaptive format[; and (b)], which is administered statewide under Part 6,
             76      Achievement Tests.
             77          [(3) "Student growth percentile" means the result of a statistical model that calculates
             78      each student's change in achievement between two or more points in time on a statewide
             79      assessment and compares each student's performance to that of similarly achieving students.]
             80          [(4)] (7) "Sufficient growth" means [a measurement of growth greater than or equal to
             81      growth at a specific percentile in the 2011-12 year adopted by the State Board of Education in
             82      rule.] a student's scale score on a statewide assessment is equal to or exceeds the student's
             83      growth target established pursuant to Section 53A-1-1107.5 .
             84          (8) "Year 1" means the first year of two consecutive years in which a student takes a
             85      statewide assessment in the same subject.


             86          (9) "Year 2" means the second year of two consecutive years in which a student takes a
             87      statewide assessment in the same subject.
             88          Section 2. Section 53A-1-1103 is amended to read:
             89           53A-1-1103. State Board of Education to establish school grading system --
             90      Report to Education Interim Committee.
             91          (1) (a) The State Board of Education shall establish a school grading system in
             92      accordance with this part in which a school annually is designated a grade of A, B, C, D, or F
             93      based on the performance of the school's students on statewide assessments, and for a high
             94      school, the graduation rate and, except for the 2012-13 school year, student performance on a
             95      college admissions test administered pursuant to Section 53A-1-611 .
             96          (b) The school grading system established in this part shall be known and referred to as
             97      "school grading."
             98          (2) The State Board of Education shall:
             99          (a) model the school grading system described in this part using school performance
             100      data for the 2010-11 school year;
             101          (b) study modifications to the school grading system; and
             102          (c) make recommendations for proposed legislation to the Education Interim
             103      Committee on modifications to the school grading system by the committee's September 2012
             104      meeting.
             105          (3) The school grading system shall take effect for the 2012-13 school year and shall
             106      replace the U-PASS accountability system developed and implemented by the State Board of
             107      Education.
             108          (4) For the purposes of school grading, the State Board of Education shall create an
             109      alignment mapping of scale scores when transitioning to a new assessment system to reflect the
             110      standards of academic achievement set by the State Board of Education.
             111          Section 3. Section 53A-1-1104 is amended to read:
             112           53A-1-1104. Schools included in grading system.
             113          (1) Except as provided in [Subsection] Subsections (2) through (5), a school that has


             114      students who take statewide assessments shall receive a school grade.
             115          (2) A school may not receive a school grade, if the number of a school's students tested
             116      is less than the minimum sample size necessary, based on accepted professional practice for
             117      statistical reliability or the prevention of the unlawful release of personally identifiable student
             118      data under 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232h.
             119          (3) (a) An alternative school is exempt from school grading.
             120          (b) The board shall annually:
             121          (i) evaluate an alternative school in accordance with an accountability plan approved
             122      by the board; and
             123          (ii) report the results on a school report card.
             124          (c) The State Board of Education, a local school board, and a charter school governing
             125      board shall provide to a parent or guardian a school report card for an alternative school and
             126      electronically publish the school report card in the same manner and at the same time as other
             127      school report cards are provided and published pursuant to Section 53A-11-1112 .
             128          (4) The State Board of Education shall exempt a school from school grading in the
             129      school's first year of operations if the school's local school board or charter school governing
             130      board requests the exemption.
             131          (5) The State Board of Education shall exempt a high school from school grading or
             132      exempt a combination school from the school grading requirement described in Subsection
             133      53A-1-1104.5 (2) in the high school's or combination school's second year of operations if the
             134      school's local school board or charter school governing board requests the exemption.
             135          Section 4. Section 53A-1-1104.5 is enacted to read:
             136          53A-1-1104.5. Two school grades assigned to a combination school.
             137          The board shall assign two school grades to a combination school as follows:
             138          (1) the board shall assign a school grade based on the proficiency and learning gains of
             139      students who are enrolled in a grade below grade 9 as described in Sections 53A-1-1106 and
             140      53A-1-1107 ; and
             141          (2) the board shall assign a school grade based on:


             142          (a) the proficiency and learning gains of students who are enrolled in grades 9 through
             143      12, as described in Sections 53A-1-1106 and 53A-1-1107 ;
             144          (b) the school's graduation rate calculated in accordance with Section 53A-1-1108 ; and
             145          (c) the percentage of students considered college ready calculated in accordance with
             146      Section 53A-1-1108 .
             147          Section 5. Section 53A-1-1107 is amended to read:
             148           53A-1-1107. Calculation of points earned for students demonstrating sufficient
             149      growth in language arts, mathematics, and science.
             150          (1) A school shall receive points for a school's students demonstrating sufficient
             151      growth in language arts, mathematics, and science[, and writing] as follows:
             152          (a) A school shall receive 0.5 points for each percentage of the school's students who
             153      take a statewide assessment of language arts achievement and make sufficient growth.
             154          (b) A school shall receive 0.5 points for each percentage of the school's students who
             155      take a statewide assessment of mathematics achievement and make sufficient growth.
             156          (c) A school shall receive 0.5 points for each percentage of the school's students who
             157      take a statewide assessment of science achievement and make sufficient growth.
             158          (2) A school shall receive points for a school's students who scored below the
             159      proficient level on statewide achievement tests in the prior year and who demonstrate sufficient
             160      growth in language arts, mathematics, and science as follows:
             161          (a) A school shall receive 0.5 points for each percentage of the school's nonproficient
             162      students, as determined by prior year language arts test scores, who take a statewide assessment
             163      of language arts achievement and make sufficient growth.
             164          (b) A school shall receive 0.5 points for each percentage of the school's nonproficient
             165      students, as determined by prior year mathematics test scores, who take a statewide assessment
             166      of mathematics achievement and make sufficient growth.
             167          (c) A school shall receive 0.5 points for each percentage of the school's nonproficient
             168      students, as determined by prior year science test scores, who take a statewide assessment of
             169      science achievement and make sufficient growth.


             170          (3) A school may earn a maximum of 50 points for each of the criteria listed in
             171      Subsections (1)(a), (b), and (c) and (2)(a), (b), and (c).
             172          (4) The State Board of Education shall:
             173          (a) model the school grading system based on awarding points as described in
             174      Subsection (2) for students in the lowest quartile, as determined by prior year test scores, who
             175      make sufficient growth; and
             176          (b) submit a report on the model results to the Education Interim Committee no later
             177      than the committee's November 2013 meeting.
             178          Section 6. Section 53A-1-1107.5 is enacted to read:
             179          53A-1-1107.5. Growth target established to determine whether a student
             180      demonstrates sufficient growth in a subject.
             181          (1) (a) For the purpose of determining whether a student demonstrates sufficient
             182      growth in the 2013-14 school year in language arts, mathematics, or science as provided in
             183      Section 53A-1-1107 , the board shall establish a growth target for a student for each statewide
             184      assessment the student takes.
             185          (b) A student demonstrates sufficient growth in the 2013-14 school year if the student's
             186      scale score on a statewide assessment administered in the 2013-14 school year is equal to or
             187      exceeds the growth target established pursuant to Subsections (1)(c) and (1)(d).
             188          (c) The board shall establish a 2013-14 growth target for each cohort of students with
             189      the same scale score on a particular statewide assessment in the 2012-13 school year.
             190          (d) (i) The board shall establish a 2013-14 growth target based on actual student
             191      growth in the 2011-12 school year as measured by statewide assessments administered at the
             192      end of the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.
             193          (ii) Among a cohort of students with the same scale score on a particular statewide
             194      assessment in the 2010-11 school year, the scale score of the student who scores in the 2011-12
             195      school year, at a percentile determined by the board in rule, becomes the 2013-14 growth target
             196      for any student with a scale score in the 2012-13 school year that is the same as the cohort's
             197      scale score in the 2010-11 school year.


             198          (2) (a) For the purpose of determining whether a student demonstrates sufficient
             199      growth in the 2014-15 school year, or a succeeding school year, in language arts, mathematics,
             200      or science as provided in Section 53A-1-1107 , the board shall establish a year 2 growth target
             201      for a student for each statewide assessment the student takes.
             202          (b) A student demonstrates sufficient growth if the student's scale score on a statewide
             203      assessment in year 2 is equal to or exceeds the year 2 growth target established pursuant to
             204      Subsections (2)(c) and (2)(d).
             205          (c) The board shall establish a year 2 growth target for each cohort of students with the
             206      same scale score on a particular statewide assessment in year 1.
             207          (d) (i) The board shall establish a year 2 growth target based on actual student growth
             208      in the 2014-15 school year as measured by statewide assessments administered at the end of the
             209      2013-14 and 2014-15 school years.
             210          (ii) Among a cohort of students with the same scale score on a particular statewide
             211      assessment in the 2013-14 school year, the scale score of the student who scores on a similar
             212      statewide assessment in the 2014-15 school year, at a percentile determined by the board in
             213      rule, becomes the year 2 growth target for statewide assessments administered in the 2014-15
             214      school year and succeeding years for any student with a year 1 scale score that is the same as
             215      the cohort's scale score in the 2013-14 school year.
             216          Section 7. Section 53A-1-1108 is amended to read:
             217           53A-1-1108. Calculation of additional points earned for high school graduation
             218      and college and career readiness.
             219          (1) In addition to the points described in Sections 53A-1-1106 and 53A-1-1107 [and
             220      subject to Subsection (2)], a high school shall receive points, as determined by the State Board
             221      of Education, for:
             222          (a) the percentage of students who graduate from high school; and
             223          (b) except for the 2012-13 school year, the percentage of students who are considered
             224      college ready as measured by a college admissions test administered pursuant to Section
             225      53A-1-611 .


             226          (2) [In] (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), in calculating the percentage of
             227      students who graduate, the State Board of Education shall use the same graduation rate for a
             228      high school that is used under the federal [No Child Left Behind accountability] four-year
             229      cohort system.
             230          (b) In calculating a high school graduation rate for the purpose of school grading, the
             231      State Board of Education shall exclude from the four-year cohort for the graduating class a
             232      student with a disability who has an individualized education program that includes a plan to
             233      complete graduation requirements in more than four years.
             234          (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), for the purpose of school grading, a
             235      student is considered college ready if the student's score in each subject area on the ACT is at
             236      or above the College Readiness Benchmark as defined by the ACT.
             237          (b) The board in consultation with the State Board of Regents may adopt by rule a
             238      higher subject area score threshold on the ACT to be considered college ready for school
             239      grading purposes.
             240          [(3)] (4) (a) Except as provided in Subsection [(3)] (4)(b), a school may earn a
             241      maximum of 300 points for the criteria described in Subsection (1) with one-half of the
             242      maximum number of points allotted to high school graduation and one-half allotted to the
             243      percentage of students who are considered college ready as measured by a college admissions
             244      test administered pursuant to Section 53A-1-611 .
             245          (b) For the 2012-13 school year, a school may earn a maximum of 150 points for the
             246      percentage of students who graduate from high school.
             247          Section 8. Section 53A-1-1110 is amended to read:
             248           53A-1-1110. Letter grade based on percentage of maximum points earned.
             249          (1) Except as provided in Subsections (2) and (3), a school shall receive a letter grade
             250      based on the percentage of the maximum number of points the school may earn as calculated
             251      under Section 53A-1-1109 as follows:
             252          (a) A, 100% - 80%;
             253          (b) B, 79% - 70%;


             254          (c) C, 69% - 60%;
             255          (d) D, 59% - 50%; and
             256          (e) F, 49% or less.
             257          (2) When 85% of schools receive an A or B, the State Board of Education shall
             258      increase the endpoints of the ranges listed in Subsections (1)(a) through (1)(e) by five
             259      percentage points, except the lower endpoint of the A range may not be greater than 90%.
             260          (3) [A school shall receive an F] The board shall lower a school's grade by one letter
             261      grade if:
             262          (a) student participation in a statewide assessment is fewer than 95%; or
             263          (b) the participation of nonproficient students as determined by prior year test scores is
             264      fewer than 95%.
             265          Section 9. Section 53A-1-1114 is enacted to read:
             266          53A-1-1114. Exceptions applicable to determining school grades for the 2013-14
             267      school year.
             268          (1) Notwithstanding the requirements of Subsection 53A-1-1102 (7), Subsection
             269      53A-1-1103 (4), Section 53A-1-1107.5 , Subsection 53A-1-1110 (1), and Subsections
             270      53A-1-1112 (5) through (7), for the purposes of determining school grades for the 2013-14
             271      school year, when schools transition to a new assessment system:
             272          (a) the State Board of Education is not required to create an alignment mapping of
             273      scale scores between assessments administered in the 2012-13 school year and those
             274      administered in the 2013-14 school year;
             275          (b) the State Board of Education shall determine, by rule:
             276          (i) how to measure growth of a school's students on statewide assessments of language
             277      arts, mathematics, and science achievement; and
             278          (ii) a standard for sufficient growth;
             279          (c) the State Board of Education may, by rule, adjust the percentage of the maximum
             280      number of points required to earn A through F letter grades; and
             281          (d) the State Board of Education, school districts, and charter schools shall publish on


             282      their websites school grades for the 2013-14 school year on or before December 15, 2014.
             283          (2) (a) Before the State Board of Education adopts a rule pursuant to Subsection (1)(c),
             284      the board shall submit one or more proposals to the Executive Appropriations Committee to
             285      adjust the maximum number of points required to earn A through F letter grades for the
             286      2013-14 school year.
             287          (b) For each proposal submitted to the Executive Appropriations Committee, the board
             288      shall model the projected distribution of schools earning each letter grade.
             289          (c) The Executive Appropriations Committee may:
             290          (i) recommend that the board adopt a proposal to adjust the maximum number of
             291      points required to earn A through F letter grades for the 2013-14 school year;
             292          (ii) recommend that the board modify a proposal to adjust the maximum number of
             293      points required to earn A through F letter grades for the 2013-14 school year; or
             294          (iii) recommend that no adjustment be made to the maximum number of points
             295      required to earn A through F letter grades for the 2013-14 school year.


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