LRB-2020/4
PG:cjs&eev:jm
2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE
September 19, 2013 - Introduced by Representatives Kestell, Bies and A. Ott,
cosponsored by Senator Olsen. Referred to Committee on Education.
AB379,2,2
1An Act to repeal 115.38, 115.385, 118.42 (2), 118.42 (3) (a) (intro.), 118.42 (3) (a)
21., 118.42 (3) (b) and (c) and 118.42 (4) and (5);
to renumber 115.28 (12) (title),
3118.40 (5), 118.42 (1) (a) to (d) and 118.42 (3) (a) 2. to 5.;
to renumber and
4amend 115.28 (12) (a), 115.28 (12) (ag) (intro.), 115.28 (12) (ag) 1. and 2. and
5115.28 (12) (b);
to amend 20.255 (1) (e), 20.255 (1) (he), 115.001 (1), 118.125 (4),
6118.40 (2r) (b) 1. (intro.), 118.40 (2r) (b) 2., 118.40 (2r) (b) 2m., 118.40 (2r) (b) 4.,
7118.40 (2r) (bm), 118.40 (2r) (cm), 118.40 (2r) (d) (intro.), 118.40 (3) (e), 118.40
8(4) (c), 118.42 (1) (intro.), 118.60 (10) (c), 118.60 (10) (d), 119.04 (1), 119.23 (10)
9(c), 119.23 (10) (d), 121.006 (2) (d) and 121.02 (1) (o); and
to create 115.383 (4),
10115.383 (5), 115.39, 118.40 (2r) (d) 3., 118.40 (3) (f), 118.40 (5) (b), 118.42 (1) (am)
11(intro.) and 1., 118.42 (1) (bm) (intro.) and 1., 118.42 (1) (cm), 118.42 (2m), 118.60
12(9m), 119.23 (9m) and 120.12 (26) of the statutes;
relating to: the student
1information system, a school and school district accountability system,
2low-performing schools and school districts, and charter school contracts.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Student information system
Current law directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to develop a
proposal for a multiple-vendor student information system (SIS). DPI must submit
the proposal to the Joint Committee on Finance (JCF) for its approval. If JCF
approves the proposal, DPI must implement it and must ensure that information
about pupils enrolled in charter schools and about pupils enrolled in private schools
participating in a parental choice program (PCP) is collected and maintained in the
SIS. Current law also provides that if the SIS is established, DPI must ensure that
within five years, every school district and every charter school is using the SIS, and
that every private school participating in a PCP is either using the SIS or is using
a system that is interoperable with the SIS. Current law authorizes DPI to
promulgate rules establishing a fee for use of the SIS.
This bill provides that if the SIS is established, DPI must ensure that within
five years, every school district and every charter school, other than an independent
charter school, is using the system. The bill also provides that, beginning in the
2014-15 school year, DPI must ensure that every independent charter school and
every private school participating in an SIS is either using the SIS or is using a
system that is commercially available, capable of providing the information
required, able to obtain pupil identification numbers, and compatible with the most
recent version of the Schools Interoperability Framework. If the SIS is established,
the bill allows DPI to promulgate rules establishing a fee for using the SIS.
Finally, the bill specifies that a private school participating in a PCP is not
required to include in the SIS it is using information about pupils who are not
attending the private school under the PCP.
School and school district accountability
Current law directs DPI, annually by September 1, to publish a school and
school district accountability report that includes the following components:
1. Multiple measures to determine a school's performance or a school district's
improvement, including pupil achievement and growth in reading and mathematics;
measures of college and career readiness; and gaps in pupil achievement and
graduation rates categorized by various factors.
2. An index system to identify a school's level of performance and annually
place each school into one of five performance categories.
Current law provides that one year after an independent charter school or a
private school participating in a PCP begins using the SIS or a system that is
interoperable with the SIS, DPI must include the school in its school accountability
report.
This bill eliminates all of the above provisions and establishes a school and
school district accountability system, initially effective in the 2014-15 school year,
that is applicable to public schools, charter schools, and private schools participating
in a PCP. The bill directs DPI to determine a school's and school district's
performance in the following areas:
1. Pupil achievement in reading and mathematics.
2. Growth in pupil achievement in reading and mathematics, calculated using
a value-added methodology.
3. College and career readiness.
4. Gap closure in pupil academic achievement and graduation rates.
5. Pupil engagement in school.
The bill specifies the information about a school or school district that DPI may
use to measure performance in each of the above areas.
For a private school participating in a PCP, the bill directs DPI to use for each
area only information that pertains to pupils attending the private school under the
PCP.
The bill requires DPI to issue an annual accountability report for each school
and school district that indicates the school's or school district's overall performance
on the following scale:
1. Significantly exceeds expectations.
2. Exceeds expectations.
3. Meets expectations.
4. Meets few expectations.
5. Fails to meet expectations.
The bill directs the Legislative Audit Bureau annually to study DPI's
methodology for calculating the performance of schools and school districts and
report its findings each January to the appropriate standing committees of the
legislature.
Low-performing schools and school districts; interventions
Current law requires a school board and DPI to take certain steps if a school or
school district is in need of improvement or among the lowest performing, as follows:
1. If DPI determines that a school district has been in need of improvement for
four consecutive school years, the school board must:
a. Employ a standard, consistent, research-based curriculum that is aligned
with the state's model academic standards.
b. Use pupil academic performance data to differentiate instruction to meet
individual needs.
c. Implement a system of academic and behavioral supports and early
intervention for pupils.
d. Provide additional learning time to address the academic needs of pupils who
are struggling academically.
2. If DPI determines that a particular public school has been in the lowest
performing 5 percent of all public schools in the state in the previous school year and
is located in a school district that has been in need of improvement for four
consecutive school years, the school board must do the following in the school:
a. Use rigorous and equitable performance evaluation systems for teachers and
principals.
b. Adopt a policy establishing criteria for evaluating whether the distribution
of teachers and principals within the affected schools relative to the distribution of
teachers and principals throughout the school district, based on their qualifications
and effectiveness, is equitable. If the school board determines that the distribution
is inequitable, the school board must eliminate those policies and constraints that
prevent low-performing schools from recruiting, placing, and retaining effective
teachers and principals, and provide additional support to teachers and principals.
c. Establish teacher and principal improvement programs.
d. Adopt placement criteria for principals that include performance
evaluations and measures of pupil academic achievement.
3. If DPI determines that a school district has been in need of improvement for
four consecutive school years, DPI may direct the school board to do one or more of
the following in the school district:
a. Implement or modify activities enumerated for low-performing school
districts above.
b. Implement a new or modified instructional design.
c. Implement professional development programs.
d. Implement changes in administrative and personnel structures.
e. Adopt accountability measures to monitor the school district's finances or to
monitor other interventions.
