SACRAMENTO - Wayne Johnson, president of the 330,000-member California Teachers Association, issued the following statement concerning the Assembly's vote today on AB 2347:
"The passage of AB 2347 is a first step toward improving the state's testing and assessment system. This bill ensures that the 1.5 million California students who are not proficient in English will be tested in their dominant language, giving them a fair opportunity to pass the test. CTA will continue to push for other reforms, including making sure that all students are tested on what they are taught in class."
As approved by the Assembly, AB 2347 ensures that all students including special education and English language learners will receive a fair opportunity to pass state-mandated, standardized tests. The bill provides for the test to be developed in four languages by the 2006-07 school year. It provides for accommodations for special education students on the STAR exam. Both of these provisions align California with new federal requirements. The bill also requires that the panel that reviews the state's assessment program be comprised of at least 55% teachers.