Set for May 21
Practicing classroom teachers know it: California's testing program needs changes to make it more effective and to synchronize it with the requirements of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
A CTA-sponsored bill aimed at achieving those goals is scheduled for a hearing on May 21 in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. CTA-sponsored AB 356, by Assembly Member Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley), would:
- Retain the California High School Exit Examination (HSEE) as a primary testing element, but eliminate the requirement that students must pass it to graduate from high school. Districts could maintain the requirement at their own option.
- Judge students for graduation purposes against California's high academic content standards through a variety of locally determined measures.
- Allow elementary teachers to focus their energies on helping early grade students meet the state's stringent academic standards by eliminating mandatory testing of second graders. This plan would save $3.2 million in costs for testing second-graders on the STAR exam alone and bring the testing requirement in line with the ESEA.
- Free scarce educational resources to preserve the state's High Priority Schools Grant Program by eliminating the rewards and sanctions provisions in the Public School Accountability Act.
At a time of critically short financial resources, AB 356 will help the state use its education funding more wisely, protect youngsters in early grades from unnecessary testing, and bring California's testing program in line with federal requirements.
CTA Members:
Members of Assembly Appropriations need to know why this measure is so important to your students and your classroom. Your personal stories will have a great impact! Get in touch with Appropriations members as quickly as possible. The measure is set to be heard May 21, this coming Wednesday.
(Below is contact information for Assembly Appropriations.)
Serving on Assembly Appropriations are:
(Note: clicking on the e-mail notation should allow you to e-mail directly to each lawmaker. If the link does not work, you may e-mail each by using the address Assemblymember.name@assembly.ca.gov. For instance, Assemblymember Wyland's e-mail address is Assemblymember.wyland@assembly.ca.gov)