STAND. COM. REP. NO.3189

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2353

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2353, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Education to expand its statewide assessment program to include norm-referenced testing in the same grades that federal law requires standards-based assessment, using the most appropriate nationally normed test.

In addition, this measure appropriates an unspecified sum to the Department of Education for fiscal year 2002-2003 to include norm-referenced testing in the same grades that federal law requires standards-based assessment of the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards II.

Your Committee finds that criterion-referenced tests (i.e., standards-based assessment) and norm-referenced tests have their respective advantages and disadvantages. Generally, norm referenced tests are useful for comparing individuals or groups to determine highest and lowest achievement levels, and so forth. They are less useful in identifying the specifics of a person's strengths and weaknesses. This latter type of evaluation is better achieved with criterion referenced tests, which lend themselves to use in mastery learning situations and frequent retesting to show mastery.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the sum appropriated to the Department of Education to $1.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2353, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2353, H.D. 2, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair