NY State Senate Bill 2019-S1686

Senate Bill S1686

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Requires a study and report on the total cost of student assessments and establishes a committee to review content on standardized test items and passages; appropriation

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 08, 2020	referred to finance
Jan 15, 2019	referred to finance

2019-S1686 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Appropriations
Laws Affected:: Amd §305, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S4712
2015-2016: S2602
2017-2018: S1939, S7248

2019-S1686 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires a study and report on the total cost of student assessments and establishes a committee to review content on standardized test items and passages; makes an appropriation therefor.

2019-S1686 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S1686

SPONSOR: BROOKS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring a study and
report on the total cost of developing all student assessments and to
establish a content review committee to review standardized test items
and passages; and making an appropriation therefor

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill to is to direct the State Education Department
to review and analyze the costs associated with statewide assessments in
school districts in New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. amends section 305 of the education law by adding a new
subdivision 57 to direct the commissioner to undertake a study concern-
ing the costs of developing and administering student assessments.

Section 2. amends section 305 of the education law by adding a new
subdivision 58 to direct the commissioner to conduct a survey of school
administrators and teachers regarding the effect of student assessments
on teaching and learning.

Section 3. amends section 305 of the education law by adding a new
subdivision 51-b to direct the commissioner to release each year, a
reasonable amount of test questions and corresponding correct answers
from each of the most recently administered English language arts and
mathematics examinations in grades three through eight.

Section 4. provides an appropriation from the general fund.

Section 5. amends section 305 of the education law by adding a new
subdivision 59 to direct the commissioner to establish a content review
committee to assess the content of standardized test in grades three
through eight.

Section 6. is the enacting clause.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This bill establishes a study for a review and analysis of the costs
associated with statewide assessments of students in school districts
throughout the stare. Testing costs money and time and therefore
requires resources. Over the past several years, there has been an
increased emphasis on testing to evaluate student progress. The informa-
tion collected through the study required by this bill will provide a
snapshot about public resources for educational testing and start a
conversation about the appropriate distribution of resources for assess-
ments, curriculum and graduation requirements and other essential compo-
nents of a sound, basic education.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately

2019-S1686 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1686
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 15, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring a study  and
   report  on the total cost of developing all student assessments and to
   establish a content review committee to review standardized test items
   and passages; 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. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 57 to read as follows:
   57. A. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL UNDERTAKE A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE TOTAL
 COST  OF DEVELOPING ALL STUDENT ASSESSMENTS, INCLUDING THE TOTAL COST OF
 PREPARING STUDENTS FOR ALL ASSESSMENTS, THE TOTAL COST OF  ADMINISTERING
 ALL ASSESSMENTS, AND THE TOTAL COST OF GRADING AND REVIEWING ALL ASSESS-
 MENTS IN THE TWO THOUSAND EIGHTEEN--TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN SCHOOL YEAR.
   B.  THIS  STUDY  REQUIRED  PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH A OF THIS SUBDIVISION
 SHALL RESULT IN A REPORT, WHICH DETAILS ALL  SAID  COSTS  AND  SHALL  BE
 FILED WITH THE GOVERNOR, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF THE BUDGET, THE
 SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY,  THE  TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE
 CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, THE CHAIR OF THE  SENATE
 FINANCE  COMMITTEE  AND  THE CHAIRS OF THE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE EDUCATION
 COMMITTEES.  SUCH REPORT SHALL ALSO BE POSTED  ON  THE  WEBSITE  OF  THE
 DEPARTMENT  BY DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN AND SHALL BE
 DEEMED A PUBLIC DOCUMENT.
   C. THE COMMISSIONER'S STUDY SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,  THE
 FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
   (1)  THE  TOTAL  NUMBER  OF  STUDENT  ASSESSMENTS ADMINISTERED IN EACH
 SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE.  THIS  SHALL  INCLUDE  A  COUNT  OF  STATE
 REQUIRED  ASSESSMENTS  AND ASSESSMENTS WHICH ARE LOCALLY OR COMMERCIALLY
 DEVELOPED ASSESSMENTS WHICH ARE ADMINISTERED BY PUBLIC SCHOOL  DISTRICTS
 AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ASSESSMENTS EACH STUDENT COHORT WAS ADMINISTERED
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD06902-01-9

 S. 1686                             2
 
 ON  AVERAGE  FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWELVE DURING THE TWO THOU-
 SAND EIGHTEEN--TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN SCHOOL YEAR;
   (2)  THE TOTAL COST OF STUDENT ASSESSMENTS ADMINISTERED IN EACH SCHOOL
 DISTRICT IN THE STATE. THE TOTAL COST SHALL BE DISAGGREGATED  TO  DETER-
 MINE  THE  AMOUNT  OF  PUBLIC  FUNDS  WHICH  WERE EXPENDED ON NON-SCHOOL
 DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, VENDORS, AND OTHER ENTITIES WITH WHICH THE STATE AND
 SCHOOL DISTRICTS CONTRACT  FOR  STUDENT  ASSESSMENT  PURPOSES  INCLUDING
 PURCHASE  AND  LICENSING COSTS, TEST DEVELOPMENT, TEST BOOKLETS, SCORING
 SHEETS AND SCORING COSTS;
   (3) LOGISTICAL, PREPARATION AND ADMINISTRATION  COSTS  INCLUDING,  BUT
 NOT  LIMITED  TO,  DISTRIBUTING  AND  COLLECTING  ASSESSMENT  MATERIALS,
 ASSESSMENT DIRECTIONS, AND STORING MATERIALS;
   (4) COST OF TEST PREPARATION MATERIALS;
   (5) COST OF DATA COACHES;
   (6) COST OF DATA ANALYSIS OR DASHBOARD SYSTEMS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
 MAINTENANCE, PURCHASE, OR UPGRADE;
   (7) COST OF PROFESSIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  FOCUSED  PRIMARILY  ON  STUDENT
 ASSESSMENT DATA;
   (8) COST OF TRAINING FOR TEST ADMINISTRATORS AND PROCTORS;
   (9)  PER-PUPIL  COSTS  OF  ANY  ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS ADMINISTERED TO
 STUDENT SUBGROUPS INCLUDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, STUDENTS  RECEIV-
 ING  INTERVENTION  OR  REMEDIATION SERVICES, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES,
 AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS; AND
   (10) ANY OTHER COSTS RELATED TO STUDENT ASSESSMENTS.
   D. IN ADDITION, THE STUDY SHALL DETERMINE THE  TOTAL  AMOUNT  OF  TIME
 SPENT  BY  SCHOOL  ADMINISTRATORS,  TEACHERS,  AND  STUDENTS  ON STUDENT
 ASSESSMENTS AND ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES DURING THE TWO THOUSAND  EIGHTEEN-
 -TWO  THOUSAND  NINETEEN  SCHOOL  YEAR. THIS SHALL INCLUDE TIME SPENT BY
 STUDENTS TAKING ALL STATE AND DISTRICT ASSESSMENTS; TIME SPENT BY SCHOOL
 ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS SUCH AS  DISTRIBUT-
 ING AND COLLECTING ANSWERING SHEETS AND GIVING DIRECTIONS, AND THE TOTAL
 AMOUNT  OF  TIME  SPENT PREPARING STUDENTS TO TAKE THE ASSESSMENTS. TIME
 RELATED DATA COLLECTED PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL BE DISAGGREGATED
 BY THE FOLLOWING STUDENT GROUPS:  ENGLISH  LANGUAGE  LEARNERS,  STUDENTS
 RECEIVING  INTERVENTION OR REMEDIATION SERVICES, STUDENTS WITH DISABILI-
 TIES,  GENERAL  EDUCATION  STUDENTS,  AND   ECONOMICALLY   DISADVANTAGED
 STUDENTS.
   E. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SUBMIT THE METHODOLOGY USED TO CALCULATE THE
 COSTS  ASSOCIATED WITH STUDENT ASSESSMENTS TO THE COMPTROLLER BEFORE THE
 COMMISSIONER CONDUCTS THE STUDY PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION. THE  COMP-
 TROLLER  SHALL  MAKE  A  WRITTEN ANALYSIS OF THE METHODOLOGY USED BY THE
 COMMISSIONER TO DETERMINE THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH STUDENT ASSESSMENTS.
 THE COMPTROLLER'S ANALYSIS SHALL INCLUDE A DETERMINATION ABOUT THE QUAL-
 ITY OF THE METHODOLOGY USED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND THE EXTENT TO  WHICH
 THE  METHODOLOGY  WILL  RESULT IN AN ANALYSIS THAT PROPERLY ACCOUNTS FOR
 THE ACTUAL COSTS INCURRED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON STUDENT ASSESSMENTS AND
 RELATED ACTIVITIES.
   § 2. Section 305 of the education law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 60 to read as follows:
   60.  A. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL UNDERTAKE A STATE-WIDE SURVEY OF SCHOOL
 ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS ABOUT THE TIME THEY SPEND ON  TEST  PREPARA-
 TION  FOR  EACH STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND THE IMPACT OF TEST PREPARATION ON
 THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION. THE SURVEY SHALL PROVIDE SCHOOL  ADMINISTRA-
 TORS  AND  TEACHER RESPONDENTS ANONYMITY.  THE SURVEY SHALL INCLUDE: THE
 IMPACT THAT STUDENT ASSESSMENTS HAVE ON CURRICULUM; THE AMOUNT OF TIME A
 TEACHER SPENDS ON TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES, SIMULATING THE  TESTING  ENVI-

 S. 1686                             3
 
 RONMENT,  AND  ALIGNING CURRICULUM CONTENT TO ASSESSMENTS; THE EXTENT TO
 WHICH  ASSESSMENTS  AFFECT  INSTRUCTION  TIME  FOR   DIFFERENT   STUDENT
 SUBGROUPS;  AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF STUDENT
 ASSESSMENTS  ON  THE SCHOOL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. IN ADDITION THE SURVEY
 SHALL SOLICIT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM SCHOOL  ADMINISTRATORS  AND  TEACHERS
 REGARDING  MAKING  STUDENT  ASSESSMENTS  COST EFFECTIVE, TIME EFFICIENT,
 SUPPORTIVE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, ALIGNED  WITH  THE  CURRICULUM  AND
 FOCUSED ON STUDENT AND TEACHER GROWTH.
   B.  THIS SURVEY SHALL RESULT IN A REPORT WHICH DETAILS THE RESULTS AND
 CONCLUSIONS FROM THE SURVEY AND SHALL BE FILED WITH  THE  GOVERNOR,  THE
 DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF THE BUDGET, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE
 TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF  THE SENATE, THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY WAYS AND
 MEANS COMMITTEE, THE CHAIR OF  THE  SENATE  FINANCE  COMMITTEE  AND  THE
 CHAIRS OF THE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEES BY DECEMBER THIR-
 TY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN. SUCH REPORT SHALL ALSO BE POSTED ON THE
 WEBSITE  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT  AND SHALL BE DEEMED A PUBLIC DOCUMENT. THE
 REPORT SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY INFORMATION WHICH  SPECIFICALLY  IDENTIFIES
 ANY INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, TEACHER OR PUPIL.
   §  3.  Section  305  of  the  education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 51-b to read as follows:
   51-B. ON OR BEFORE JUNE FIRST, TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN,  AND  EACH  YEAR
 THEREAFTER,  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL RELEASE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TEST
 QUESTIONS AND CORRESPONDING  CORRECT  ANSWERS  FROM  EACH  OF  THE  MOST
 RECENTLY ADMINISTERED ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS EXAMINATIONS
 IN  GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT OF THAT YEAR. THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS AND
 ANSWERS RELEASED SHALL NOT BE SO SIGNIFICANT AS TO HINDER OR IMPAIR  THE
 VALIDITY  AND/OR  RELIABILITY  OF  FUTURE EXAMINATIONS BUT SHALL PROVIDE
 ENOUGH OF AN OVERVIEW OF EACH EXAMINATION SO THAT TEACHERS,  ADMINISTRA-
 TORS,  PRINCIPALS,  PARENTS AND STUDENTS CAN BE PROVIDED WITH SUFFICIENT
 FEEDBACK ON THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS ADMINISTERED AND, BY JULY FIRST,  TWO
 THOUSAND  NINETEEN,  AND  EACH  YEAR  THEREAFTER, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
 RELEASE THE GENERAL STUDENT SUCCESS RATE  IN  ANSWERING  SUCH  QUESTIONS
 CORRECTLY.
   §   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 subdivision 51-b of
 section 305 of the education law, as added by section three of this  act
 and  for  creating and printing more forms of state standardized assess-
 ments in order to eliminate stand-alone multiple choice field tests  and
 release  a  significant  amount of test questions.  Such moneys shall be
 payable on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on  vouchers  certi-
 fied  or  approved  by  the  commissioner  of  education  in  the manner
 prescribed by law.
   § 5. Section 305 of the education law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 61 to read as follows:
   61. THE COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH A CONTENT
 REVIEW  COMMITTEE  FOR  THE  PURPOSE  OF REVIEWING ANY STANDARDIZED TEST
 ITEMS AND/OR SELECTED PASSAGES FOR USE ON STATE  ASSESSMENTS  IN  GRADES
 THREE  THROUGH  EIGHT TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE GRADE APPROPRIATE AND THAT
 THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ITEMS AND PASSAGES ARE WITHIN GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTA-
 TIONS. SUCH COMMITTEE SHALL ALSO  ENSURE  THAT  ANY  TEST  ITEMS  AND/OR
 SELECTED PASSAGES ARE FAIR AND APPROPRIATELY MEASURE THE LEARNING STAND-
 ARDS  APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS APPLICABLE TO SUCH SUBJECT AND/OR

 S. 1686                             4

 GRADE LEVEL. SUCH COMMITTEE SHALL ALSO ENSURE THAT ADEQUATE  AND  APPRO-
 PRIATE  TIME IS GIVEN TO STUDENTS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF SUCH ASSESS-
 MENTS, PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT SUBDIVISION FORTY-NINE OF THIS SECTION MUST
 BE  COMPLIED  WITH. THE CONTENT REVIEW COMMITTEE SHALL INCLUDE CLASSROOM
 TEACHERS AND EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS IN  THE  CONTENT  AREA  AND/OR  GRADE
 LEVEL  OF  THE  ITEMS/PASSAGES  BEING  REVIEWED,  INCLUDING  TEACHERS OF
 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.