Lawmakers are finalizing a few key bills -- some that impact educators and students -- as they prepare to recess this Friday.
Among the many bills is AB 484 by Assemblymember Susan Bonilla (D-Concord) and sponsored by Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, which overhauls the state's accountability system in preparation for the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. CTA continues to have a support position on the bill. It is also supported by the Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Board of Education, educators and parents.
In general, AB 484 provides a transition to new computer-based assessments that are aligned with the Common Core State Standards by suspending the state's current Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program for one year and replacing it with the Measurement of Academic Performance and Progress (MAPP). The goal is to clear the decks of the outdated and out-of-sync tests this year. The bill phases in the new assessments and accountability system through 2016-17 to ensure student and educator readiness for the new standards. It also eliminates second grade testing.
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