Week 8 Summary Paper - Spotlight on Curriculum

2013-2014 General Assembly

HOUSE BILL 230:

Clarify Read to Achieve/Sch. Perform. Grades

Committee: Senate Education/Higher Education Date: May 28, 2014

Introduced by: Reps. Malone, S. Martin, Brody, Samuelson Prepared by: Patsy Pierce

Legislative Analyst Analysis of: PCS to First Edition

H230-CSTL-45

O. Walker Reagan

Director

*H230-SMTL-73(CSTL-45)-v5*

Research Division

(919) 733-2578

SUMMARY: The original House Bill 230 would amend the definition of a home school to allow

children taught in home schools to receive academic instruction from sources other than parents or

guardians. The same language that is in House Bill 230 was passed in Senate Bill 189 (S.L. 2013-57).

The PCS for House Bill 230 would make several clarifying changes to the Read to Achieve program

including providing flexibility for local school administrative units (LEAs) when implementing

reading camps, alternative assessments, and student reading portfolios. Additional students with

individualized education programs (IEPs) would be exempt from mandatory retention. The PCS

would change the scale for calculating A-F school performance grades from a 10-point to a 15-point

scale for the 2013-2014 school year.

CURRENT LAW: Part 1A of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes establishes the Read to Achieve

program. The Program requires that a student who fails to demonstrate third grade reading proficiency

on a State-approved standardized test of reading comprehension must be retained in third grade, unless

the student meets one of certain good cause exemptions to the retention requirement. Exemptions

include limited English proficiency, disability, demonstrated proficiency on an alternative reading test or

student portfolio, or multiple retentions. Retained students are enrolled in summer reading camps, and

may be promoted upon a showing of reading proficiency on an alternative assessment. Retained students

are provided with a successful reading teacher in an accelerated reading or transitional 3rd-4th grade

classroom where specific reading instruction takes place. Students demonstrating reading proficiency by

November 1 may be promoted midyear under a policy developed by the SBE. Parents must be notified

of third grade retention policies, and must be given monthly written reports regarding student progress

for retained students.

Part 1B of Chapter 115C establishes the calculation methodology for school achievement, growth,

performance scores and grades.

BILL ANALYSIS:

Section 1 directs the State Board of Education to (i) provide several valid and reliable alternative

assessments, (ii) approve valid and reliable alternative assessments submitted by LEAs, (iii) establish

achievement levels for approved alternative assessments, and (iv) annually review alternative

assessments.

Section 2 allows the student reading portfolio to begin to be compiled during the first half of the school

year.

Section 3 provides that reading camps will be provided for at least 72 hours over a period of no less than

3 weeks.

House PCS 230 Page 2

Section 4 requires the Kindergarten Entry Assessment to yield both qualitative and quantitative data.

Section 5 clarifies the good cause exemptions from mandatory retention by specifying school years of

English instruction for Limited English Proficient students, and a two year delay in educational

performance or a two year history of intensive reading intervention for students with IEPs. This section

also provides flexibility as to when an alternative assessment may be administered and allows LEAs to

develop their own student reading portfolio process. The process must be approved by the State Board

of Education.

Section 6 clarifies that parents or guardians make the final decision regarding a retained student's

participation in reading camp and that local school systems must provide at least one opportunity for

students not participating in reading camp to demonstrate proficiency prior to being retained. This

Section also clarifies that a principal can promote a student when he or she demonstrates proficiency,

even after the midyear promotion cutoff date.

Section 7 adds that teachers and principals may offer information sessions for parents or guardians

about a student's difficulty with reading development and possibility of retention.

Section 8 allows LEAs to admit reading proficient students to reading camp, but may charge an

enrollment fee of up to $825.

Section 9 adds the new good cause exemption language to the charter school statutes.

Section 10 directs the State Board of Education to implement the developmental screening (literacy and

mathematics) in half of the LEAs during the 2014-2015 school year, and in all of the LEAs by the 2015-

2016 school year.

Sections 11-12 make a technical correction to move a misplaced section of the statutes to the

appropriate location.

Sections 13-15 change the school achievement score methodology to a composite approach, clarify that,

if the growth score depresses the achievement score for schools meeting expected growth, then just the

achievement score can be used to calculate performance, and for the 2013-2014 school year, a 15-point

rather than a 10-point scale would be used to assign school performance letter grades of A-F.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act is effective when it becomes law.

BACKGROUND: The Read to Achieve Program and School Performance Grades requirements were

enacted through the Excellent Public Schools Act of 2012 and amended in 2013.