Bill Summary for Bill Number SB12-047

Date: 04/30/2012

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB12-047

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Refer Senate Bill 12-047 to the House Committee on	PASS

03:28 PM

The committee took a brief recess.

03:42 PM -- Senate Bill 12-047

The committee came back to order.

Representative Holbert and Representative Massey, co-prime sponsors of Senate Bill 12-047, presented the bill. The bill was recommended by the Educational Success Task Force and was amended by the Senate Education Committee. The reengrossed bill permits a school district, a charter school, or the Charter School Institute (CSI) to administer basic skills placement tests to each student in grades nine through twelve. The tests are the same placement tests in reading, writing, and mathematics used by community colleges to place first-year freshman students.

The tests may be administered as often as deemed necessary; however, the state will only reimburse the cost to administer each of the test units once for each student in grades nine through twelve. The amended bill appropriates $1.0 million from the State Education Fund to reimburse the local cost to administer the tests.

If a district, a charter school, or the CSI administers the tests, the student's score on the placement tests must be included in his or her individual career and academic plan (ICAP). The scores must be analyzed to determine the student's level of postsecondary and workforce readiness. Students unable to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness must receive additional services in order to bring the student up to a satisfactory level of readiness.

The bill permits administration of the same placement tests in grades nine through twelve that are currently administered to all first-time freshmen in the community college system. The system uses the Accuplacer, a suite of computerized placement tests that assess college readiness in reading, writing, and math. First-time freshmen must take one of three mathematic placement tests, and one each reading and writing diagnostic tests, for a total of three units of the Accuplacer assessment.

The bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

03:52 PM

The bill sponsors continued to discuss the bill.

Representative Massey stated that the Accuplacer is not a pass or fail test, but a very relevant assessment tool. He stated that one of the limitations of the current assessments is the length of time between the administration of the test and when the results are available. He added that the Accuplacer may be a relevant replacement to some of the high-stakes testing that we do now.

Representative Solano commented that we need to move to a more meaningful test for kids. She said that it is relevancy that we are striving for and making sure that kids are going to be successful in whatever they enter into. She added that there is more than one pathway to success.

03:57 PM

Representative Todd commented that the Accuplacer is a great tool, but we need to be careful about the message we are sending to kids about the test. She stated that the Accuplacer is a different way of looking at the work that students will need to do to advance their skills. She added that she would hate for us to send a message that the Accuplacer is for those who do not want to attend college.

Representative Massey responded, saying that in his mind, the Accuplacer augments the ACT assessment. He stated that the Accuplacer provides a proficiency picture at any given time. He stated that the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) has already appropriated the funds for this legislation as part of their budget balancing. He stated that the money is coming from the State Education Fund, but that it is a worthwhile expenditure from that fund.

04:01 PM

Julie Pelegrin, Office of Legislative Legal Services, came to the table to respond to committee questions.

Representative Hamner asked if the Accuplacer would take the place of the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) tests.

Representative Massey responded that we are all looking for an alternative to the TCAP and we hope that we see a development tool that is relevant and gives instant feedback.

Representative Solano asked if any school districts would be without access to this computer-based test.

Representative Massey responded that he is not aware of any districts that would not have access to the test.

The following person testified:

04:07 PM -- Terry Whitney, representing College Board, came to the table to respond to questions from the committee. He stated that College Board is the administrator of the Accuplacer assessment and provided a handout to the committee (Attachment F).

Representative Murray asked if students are failing assessments because they are failing algebra. Mr. Whitney responded that they are seeing failure in algebra and in English language, but that there is a higher rate of math failure on the Accuplacer.

Representative Hamner stated that the goal of the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids (CAP4K) is to have a seamless education system. She stated that if you look at all of the assessments the kids are given, it is hard to teach to each test because there is a misalignment between what is taught in higher education and in high school.

Mr. Whitney responded, saying that College Board is working hard to be sure that their tests align with the common core standards.

Representative Todd commented that it is great to assess to find out where the student is, but once we see that a student is falling down, what is out there for them. She stated that if there is nothing that intervenes between taking the test and then just continuing on, nothing is changed for the student.

Mr. Whitney responded that the product is set up as a low-stakes assessment that allows a student, instructor, and administrative staff to find out where kids are at any point in time. He stated that this offers the opportunity at the high school level to have the students work on their weak areas. He discussed the MyFoundationLab program that is part of the Accuplacer, stating that based on the students' performance on the diagnostic Accuplacer test, the program generates a personalized learning path for each student that provides targeted remediation.

Representative Massey stated that this is not meant to be an end-all to remediation, but now we can assess much earlier and get information much easier, so that we can intervene much earlier. He added that we will be able to remediate now, rather than in the next school year.

Representative Todd commented that the Accuplacer is a very useful tool and that she feels that money being put into TCAP is going down the drain. She added that the Accuplacer is specific.


BILL:	SB12-047
TIME:	04:19:52 PM
MOVED:	Holbert
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 12-047 to the House Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 13-0.
SECONDED:	Massey
		VOTE
	Hamner	Yes
	Holbert	Yes
	Joshi	Yes
	Kerr A.	Yes
	Murray	Yes
	Peniston	Yes
	Ramirez	Yes
	Schafer S.	Yes
	Solano	Yes
	Summers	Yes
	Todd	Yes
	Beezley	Yes
	Massey	Yes

Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS