ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fourth Legislature

Second Regular Session

House: ED DPA 6-5-0-2

HB2648: alternative testing; exemption; special education

Sponsor:  Representative Barto, LD 15

Caucus & COW

Overview

Relating to alternative testing or exemption from the statewide assessment or menu of achievement assessments for special education or disabled students.

History

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that states include disabled students in all general state and district-wide assessment programs, provided that the student receives the appropriate accommodations and alternate assessments as indicated in the student's individual education program (IEP) (34 U.S.C. § 300.160). Federal law permits a state to develop and implement alternate assessments and guidelines for disabled students with the most significant cognitive disabilities if the student cannot participate in regular assessments and if the state has adopted alternate academic achievement standards.

Currently, state statute requires SBE to adopt and implement a statewide assessment to measure student achievement of the academic standards in reading, writing and math in at least four grades. Statute authorizes SBE to determine how the statewide assessment is implemented (A.R.S. § 15-741).  Additionally, statute permits SBE to administer assessments of the academic standards in social studies and science, except that a student is not required to meet or exceed the social studies or science standards measured by the statewide assessment.

For school year 2019-2020, public school students will be administered the AzM2 assessment in English language arts and math in grades 3-8 and grade 10 and AIMS Science in grades 4, 8 and 9-12. The state provides alternate assessments, though students must have an IEP to be considered. For school year 2019-2020, eligible students will be administered AIMS A Science in grades 4, 8 and 10 and the Multi-State Alternate Assessment in grades 3-8 and 11.

Provisions

1.    ☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal NoteRequires SBE to adopt rules that:

a)    Allow a student to participate in alternative testing instead of the statewide assessment or menu of achievement assessments if the student is enrolled in either:

i.      A special education program and the student meets criteria specified by SBE; or

ii.     A self-contained program for students with disabilities that does not adequately prepare the student for testing.

b)    Allow a student's IEP team to exempt the student from the statewide assessment or menu of achievement assessments with sufficient data to justify the exemption. (Sec. 1)

 

 

 

 

Amendment

Committee on Education

1.    Requires SBE to adopt rules that direct public schools to notify the guardian of a pupil if the pupil meets the criteria for participation in alternative testing but is otherwise ineligible for alternative testing due to federal law.

 

 

 

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Initials CH                   Caucus & COW

 

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