Establish achievement level standards for reporting student proficiency levels for the statewide alternate English Language Arts assessment for grades 3 through 10, the statewide alternate Mathematics assessment for grades 3 through 8, the statewide ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-1.09430Florida Alternate Assessment Requirements

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: Establish achievement level standards for reporting student proficiency levels for the statewide alternate English Language Arts assessment for grades 3 through 10, the statewide alternate Mathematics assessment for grades 3 through 8, the statewide alternate Science assessment for grade 5 and 8, and the end-of-course alternate assessments in Algebra 1, Biology 1, and Geometry.

SUMMARY: Establish achievement level standards for all new English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and the Algebra 1, Biology 1, and Geometry end-of-course alternate assessments to report student proficiency levels. Remove reference language duplicative with Florida Statutes and assessment requirements no longer included in the statewide assessment program, per s. 1008.22, F.S.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: The rule revisions relate only to establishing achievement levels for statewide, standardized alternate assessments; therefore, there is no direct or immediate impact on economic growth, private sector job creation, employment, or private sector investment. If there is any impact on such economic growth and private sector job creation, the impact would be positive because the establishment of rigorous yet attainable assessment standards positively impacts student outcomes, which, in turn, positively impacts economic growth, private sector job creation, and employment. For the same reasons, though no impact on business competitiveness is anticipated, any impact would be positive. Because the proposed rule relates only to the establishment of achievement levels for statutorily required statewide alternate assessments, it is not likely to increase regulatory costs.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 1001.02, 1008.22, 1008.25, FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1001.02, 1001.11, 1008.22, 1008.25, FS.

A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: May 16, 2017, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Miami Senior High School, 2450 SW 1st St., Miami, FL 33135.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Vince Verges, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Division of Accountability, Research, and Measurement, 325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 414, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400, [phone].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

Substantial rewording of Rule 6A-1.09430 follows. See Florida Administration Code for present text.

6A-1.09430 Statewide, Standardized Florida Alternate Assessment Program Requirements.

(1) Definitions. For the purpose of this rule, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) “Achievement level” means the level of content mastery a student has acquired in a particular subject as measured by a statewide, standardized alternate assessment. Achievement levels range from one (1) through four (4), with level 1 being the lowest achievement level, level 4 being the highest achievement level, and level 3 indicating satisfactory performance on the assessment.

(b) “Baseline year” means the first school year in which an assessment is administered. Achievement levels are established using the results from the baseline year.

(c) “Eligible students” means students who are eligible to participate in the statewide, standardized alternate assessment based upon subsection (5) of Rule 6A-1.0943, F.A.C.

(2) The statewide, standardized alternate assessment program required by Section 1008.22, F.S., shall be developed under the direction and supervision of the Commissioner of Education and shall be:

(a) Kept secured at all times, in accordance with the provisions of Rule 6A-10.042, F.A.C.

(b) Provided to all school districts in the quantity needed for the students in the district.

(c) Administered in accordance with standard written instructions appropriate for the assssment. The written instructions will be issued by the Commissioner in the form of test administration manuals and other written communications, and provided to school districts prior to each test.

(e) As appropriate, developed in consultation with teachers and other appropriate professionals and shall be approved by the Commissioner prior to being administered to students.

(3) The alternate assessment program shall include comprehensive assessments in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and end-of-course (EOC) assessments.

(a) The statewide alternate ELA assessments shall measure reading skills in grade three and reading and writing skills in grades four through ten.

(b) The statewide alternate Mathematics assessments shall measure students’ mathematics skills in grades three through eight.

(c) The statewide alternate Science assessments shall measure students’ science skills in grades five and eight.

(d) The statewide alternate EOC assessments shall consist of assessments measuring the skills specified in five (5) courses: Algebra 1, Biology 1, Geometry, Civics, and United States History.

(4) The statewide alternate assessment program shall be administered as follows:

(a) Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, all eligible students in grades three through ten shall take the alternate ELA assessment.

(b) Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, all eligible students in grades three through eight shall take the alternate Mathematics assessment.

(c) Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, all eligible students in grades five and eight shall take the alternate Science assessment.

(d) Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, all eligible students enrolled in a high school Algebra 1 or equivalent course must take the alternate Algebra 1 EOC assessment; all eligible students enrolled in a high school Biology 1 or equivalent course must take the alternate Biology 1 EOC assessment; all eligible students enrolled in a high school Geometry or equivalent course must the the alternate Geometry EOC assessment.

(e) Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, all eligible students enrolled in a high school United States History or equivalent course must take the alternate United States History EOC assessment.

(f) Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, all eligible students enrolled in a middle schools civics education course must take the alternate Civics EOC assessment.

(g) Provisions shall be made by the Commissioner to permit the test to be administered to home school students and private school students pursuant to Sections 1002.39 and 1002.395, F.S., under conditions which preserve the security of the assessment and require the public school districts to be responsible for the test administration procedures and requirements of Rule 6A-10.042, F.A.C.

(5) Examinee scores on statewide alternate ELA, Mathematics, Science, and EOC assessments shall be reported by the use of achievement levels determined by the baseline year assessment administered according to the schedule established in subsection (4) of this rule.

(a) The achievement levels for the statewide alternate assessments are as shown in the following tables:

Statewide alternate ELA assessment standards (540 to 660) for each achievement level:

Grade	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
3	540-582	583-598	599-617	618-660
4	540-581	582-596	597-617	618-660
5	540-582	583-598	599-617	618-660
6	540-582	583-598	599-617	618-660
7	540-582	583-598	599-617	618-660
8	540-581	582-597	598-613	614-660
9	540-581	582-597	598-619	620-660
10	540-583	584-597	598-616	617-660

Statewide alternate Mathematics assessment standards (540 to 660) for each achievement level:

Grade	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
3	540-585	586-599	600-616	617-660
4	540-586	587-598	599-617	618-660
5	540-585	586-599	600-616	617-660
6	540-585	586-599	600-616	617-660
7	540-586	587-599	600-616	617-660
8	540-585	586-597	598-614	615-660

Statewide alternate Science assessment standards (540 to 660) for each achievement level:

Grade	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
5	540-579	580-598	599-615	616-660
8	540-579	580-599	600-618	619-660

(b) The achievement levels for the statewide alternate EOC assessments are as shown in the following tables:

Statewide alternate Algebra 1 EOC assessment standards (725 to 875) for each achievement level:

Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
725-773	774-796	797-822	823-875

Statewide alternate Biology 1 EOC assessment standards (725 to 875) for each achievement level:

Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
725-772	773-794	795-822	823-875

Statewide alternate Geometry EOC assessment standards (725 to 875) for each achievement level:

Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
725-776	777-798	799-826	827-875

(7) The assessments shall be administered according to a schedule approved by the Commissioner.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1008.22, 1008.25 FS. Law Implemented 1001.02, 1001.11, 1008.22, 1008.25 FS. History–New 5-3-10, 

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Juan Copa, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement.

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Pam Stewart, Commissioner, Department of Education.

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: April 14, 2017

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: February 3, 2017