Report Title:

School Testing Right to Know Act

Description:

Prohibits the release of any school or school district's standardized test scores to the public without the simultaneous listing of specific relevant information about each school or school district.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

868

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to school testing right to know.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110) aims to dramatically increase the use and importance of primary and secondary school standardized tests. However, the legislature finds that standardized test scores do not accurately assess the causes of low student achievement. Instead, standardized test scores often distract attention from the major causes of low academic performance: poverty and the lack of resources available to meet low-income students' needs. The legislature finds that when standardized test scores are released to the public, policymakers, parents, and taxpayers have the right to know all relevant data relating to the scores.

The purpose of this Act is to provide policymakers and the public with accurate information with which to make future decisions about the direction of education policy in the State, by requiring the simultaneous disclosure of certain relevant information with the release of any school or departmental school district's standardized test scores.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A- School testing right to know. No agency of the State, or any governmental entity within the State, shall release any school-by-school or district-by-district listing of any public school standardized test scores to the public without simultaneously listing the following information for the same schools or departmental school districts:

(1) Percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals;

(2) Student mobility rate, that is, a measure of students who enter or leave a school during the school year;

(3) Per-student expenditure by school, not including district-wide administrative costs;

(4) Average class size;

(5) For students who enter a school after grade three, the percentage whose skills are assessed at below basic upon entering the school; and

(6) Percentage of students who qualify for special education services."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.

INTRODUCED BY:

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