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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1695 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO STANDARDIZED TESTING.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and federal Department of Education Race to the Top program of 2009 shifted education priorities from inquiry-based teaching to standardized testing. Following the enactment of No Child Left Behind and the implementation of Race to the Top, Hawaii's public school system spent important resources of time, money, and energy to standardized testing at the expense of authentic education.
The legislature further finds that an overemphasis on standardized testing narrows academic curricula, reduces arts and cultural education, causes teachers to teach to the test, decreases vocational programming, and creates a climate of compliance and fear among students, teachers, and administrators. Moreover, research shows that the negative impacts of standardized testing most directly harm students in low-income communities.
The legislature additionally finds that the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, which replaced the No Child Left Behind Act, permits states to reduce the amount of time that students spend preparing for and taking standardized tests. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to promote real-world learning experiences for Hawaii's children by limiting the amount of time students spend participating in standardized testing.
SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§302A- Standardized
testing limitations; opt out. (a)
The department shall only administer standardized tests that are required by
law.
(b) Each complex area superintendent shall submit
an annual report to the board that includes the number of standardized tests
required for each school within the complex area, and the amount of
instructional time devoted to standardized testing at each school within the
complex area.
(c) The board shall notify students and their
parents or guardians of the right to opt out of participating in standardized
testing.
(d) For purposes of this section, "standardized testing" means any assessment that is scored in a consistent manner and intended to measure a student's academic readiness, achievement level, learning progress, or skill acquisition, including any diagnostic, interim, or practice test used to prepare for such an assessment."
SECTION 3. Section 302A-638, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"[[]§302A-638[]] Evaluation of teachers and
educational officers. The department
shall establish an evaluation program for all teachers and educational officers. The evaluation shall be performed at least
once in each school year. The program
shall define the criteria for evaluation and assign responsibilities for the
application of the criteria. The
evaluation of a teacher or educational officer shall be on the basis of
efficiency, ability, and such other criteria as the department shall determine[.];
provided that standardized tests shall not be used to evaluate the performance
of any teacher or educational officer."
SECTION 4. The board of education shall amend any necessary board policies relating to standardized testing or the evaluation of teachers and educational officers to conform with the requirements of this Act.
SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Education; Standardized Testing; Opt-out
Description:
Requires each complex area superintendent to submit an annual report to the Board of Education on the number of standardized tests required for each school within the complex area and the amount of instructional time devoted to such tests. Requires the Board of Education to inform students and their parents or guardians of ability to opt out of standardized tests. Removes standardized test results as an evaluation metric on performance reviews for teachers or educational officers.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.