Assembly Bill A2312

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2312
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 17, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. RA, MONTESANO, McDONOUGH, FRIEND, McKEVITT, LUPI-
   NACCI, PALMESANO, SALADINO, MURRAY, DiPIETRO, McLAUGHLIN, RAIA, CROUCH
   --  Multi-Sponsored  by  -- M. of A. BARCLAY, GIGLIO, SIMON, THIELE --
   read once and referred to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
   standardized  testing  transparency  act;  and making an appropriation
   therefor
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "standard-
 ized testing transparency act".
   § 2. Section 305 of the education law is amended  by  adding  two  new
 subdivisions 56 and 57 to read as follows:
   56.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  RELEASE  ALL  STATE  STANDARDIZED  TEST
 CONTENT, QUESTIONS, AND ANSWERS FOR PUBLIC REVIEW WITHIN THIRTY DAYS  OF
 THE COMPLETION OF THE TESTING AND ANY MAKE-UP TESTING.
   57.  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL RELEASE DATA FOLLOWING THE ADMINISTRATION
 OF EACH  STATE  STANDARDIZED  TEST  REGARDING  THE  NUMBER  OF  ELIGIBLE
 STUDENTS  WHO COMPLETED THE EXAMS BY DISTRICT AND THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS
 WHO OPTED OUT OF THE EXAM.
   § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 115 to  read
 as follows:
   §  115.  STANDARDIZED TESTING TASK FORCE. 1. A. THERE IS ESTABLISHED A
 STANDARDIZED TESTING TASK FORCE. THE PURPOSE OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL  BE
 TO STUDY THE CURRENT STANDARDIZED TESTING PROGRAM.
   B.  THE TASK FORCE SHALL CONSIST OF NINE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE P-12
 COMMITTEE ON THE BOARD OF REGENTS AND SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST:
   (1) ONE CERTIFIED NEW YORK STATE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER;
   (2) ONE CERTIFIED TEACHER WITH AN ENGLISH  LANGUAGE  TEACHING  CERTIF-
 ICATE; AND
   (3) ONE PARENT OF A NEW YORK STATE ELEMENTARY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD06700-01-7

 A. 2312                             2
 
   2. THE TASK FORCE SHALL EVALUATE:
   A.  THE AGE AND DEVELOPMENTAL APPROPRIATENESS OF COMMON CORE STANDARD-
 IZED TESTS IN THIRD THROUGH EIGHTH GRADES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE  ARTS  AND
 MATHEMATICS  AS  ADMINISTERED IN THE TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN--TWO THOUSAND
 FIFTEEN, TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN--TWO THOUSAND SIXTEEN,  AND  TWO  THOUSAND
 SIXTEEN--TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN SCHOOL YEARS; AND
   B.  THE  BENEFIT  OF HAVING TESTS CREATED INTERNALLY BY NEW YORK STATE
 EDUCATORS AS OPPOSED TO CONTRACTED VENDORS OR INCREASING INPUT WITH  ANY
 OUTSIDE  VENDOR  BY ALLOWING NEW YORK EDUCATORS AN ADVISORY ROLE IN TEST
 CREATION.
   §  4.  The  sum  of  eight  million  four  hundred  thousand   dollars
 ($8,400,000),  or  so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appro-
 priated to the department of education out of any moneys  in  the  state
 treasury  in  the  general  fund  to  the  credit  of the state purposes
 account, not otherwise appropriated, and made immediately available, for
 the purpose of carrying out the provisions  of  this  act  and  for  the
 reduction  of  field  testing. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit
 and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by  the
 commissioner of education in the manner prescribed by law.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.