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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
online instruction; virtual setting; assessments
Purpose
Authorizes an Arizona Online Instruction (AOI) school or course provider to administer any statewide assessment or test in a virtual setting or at a testing center as specified.
Background
The State Board of Education (SBE) must adopt and implement annual statewide assessments to measure pupil achievement of the SBE-adopted academic standards in reading, writing and mathematics and may administer assessments of the academic standards in social studies and science. The SBE must ensure that the assessments are uniform throughout Arizona and establish: 1) fair and consistent methods and standards for evaluating assessment scores from schools within a school district (district schools); and 2) intervention strategies to assist schools with scores below the acceptable standard. The SBE must annually review district and school scores and offer assistance to school districts in analyzing data and implementing intervention strategies (A.R.S. § 15-741).
AOI allows school districts and charter schools to develop and provide online instructional systems. The SBE selects district schools and state-approved charter authorizers sponsor charter schools to be AOI schools or course providers. The SBE and state-approved charter authorizers develop standards for the approval of AOI schools and course providers based on specified criteria.
Statute subjects AOI students to the statewide assessment requirements. A student may not participate in AOI if: 1) the student fails to comply with the testing requirements; and 2) the AOI school or course provider administers the tests to less than 95 percent of the participating students. An AOI school or course provider must notify a student's parent or guardian of the state assessment requirements when a student enrolls. (A.R.S. § 15-808).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows an AOI school or course provider to administer a statewide assessment or test in a virtual setting, if the AOI school or course provider:
a) assigns a specific date and time to administer the assessment or test to participating students;
b) administers the assessment or test in a synchronous session that is initiated and managed by personnel who are designated by the AOI school or course provider;
c) provides at least one proctor for every ten participating students through synchronous video for the entire assessment or testing session;
d) requires each participating student to remain in the virtual setting until the assigned proctor instructs the student to exit the assessment or testing platform; and
e) verifies each assessment or test that is submitted by a participating student in a virtual setting.
2. Directs, if an assessment or testing platform does not allow integrated camera proctoring, an AOI school or course provider to require each participating student to use a second device to provide the proctor with synchronous video that shows the student and the area immediately surrounding the student for the entire assessment or testing session.
3. Authorizes an AOI school or course provider to administer a statewide assessment or test at a testing center, if the AOI school or course provider:
a) assigns a specific date and time to administer the assessment or test to participating students;
b) administers the assessment or test at a location that complies with testing procedures and regulations, regardless of whether the location is on a school campus;
c) administers the assessment or test in a synchronous session that is initiated and managed by personnel who are designated by the school;
d) provides at least one proctor for every 15 participating students;
e) requires each participating student to remain at the testing center location until the assigned proctor instructs the student to exit the testing center location; and
f) verifies each assessment or test a participating student submits at a testing center.
4. Prohibits an AOI school or course provider from administering in a virtual setting or a testing center, unless the assessment is available by remote access:
a) a college readiness or workforce assessment provided by a national college and career readiness assessment provider;
b) an Advanced Placement examination; or
c) an International Baccalaureate examination.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendment Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Authorizes an AOI school or course provider to administer a statewide assessment or test at a testing center.
2. Prohibits an AOI school or course provider from administering specified assessments in a virtual setting or at a testing center, unless the assessment is available by remote access.
3. Makes conforming changes.
Senate Action
ED 2/14/24 DP 7-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 5, 2024
MH/LB/slp