LRB-4538/1
MJL:jlg:hmh
1997 - 1998 LEGISLATURE
February 10, 1998 - Introduced by Senators Darling, Farrow and Panzer,
cosponsored by Representatives
Duff and Jensen. Referred to Committee on
Education.
SB456,1,1
1An Act relating to: evaluating pupil academic standards.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the governor must submit to the standards development
council (council) pupil academic standards in mathematics, science, reading and
writing, geography and history. After reviewing the standards, the council must
transmit its recommended standards to the governor, who must approve or
disapprove the recommended standards. The governor approved these
recommended standards in December, 1997, and may, under current law, issue them
as an executive order. If the governor issues the standards as an executive order,
each school board must either adopt the governor's standards or adopt its own
standards by August 1, 1998. In addition, each school board operating high school
grades must adopt a high school graduation examination that is designed to measure
whether pupils meet the pupil academic standards and must administer
examinations designed by the department of public instruction (DPI) to measure
pupil attainment of knowledge and concepts in the 4th, 8th and 10th grades.
This bill requires the DPI to contract with a national organization that
evaluates academic standards to evaluate the governor's academic standards to
determine if the standards are clear and specific enough to provide the basis for a core
curriculum, to determine the degree of correlation between the standards and the
examinations and to prepare a written report summarizing its findings and
recommendations. The bill also requires DPI to submit the report to the legislature.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB456,2,122
(1) Within 60 days after the effective date of this subsection, the department
3of public instruction shall contract with a national organization that evaluates
4academic standards to evaluate the academic standards approved by the governor
5under section 14.23 (2) of the statutes. The contract shall require the national
6organization to determine if the academic standards are clear and specific enough
7to provide the basis for a core curriculum, to determine the degree of correlation
8between the academic standards and the examinations under section 118.30 (1) (a)
9and (1g) (b) of the statutes and to complete the evaluation and submit a written
10report containing the national organization's findings and recommendations to the
11department of public instruction within 120 days after the effective date of this
12subsection.
SB456,2,1513
(2) The department of public instruction shall submit the report under
14subsection (1) to the legislature in the manner provided under section 13.172 (2) of
15the statutes.
