The purpose of this new rule is to address the statutory requirements regarding the use of a uniform calendar to publish schedules for the administration of state-required and district-required public K-12 assessments and reporting student ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-1.094224Uniform Assessment Calendar Requirements

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of this new rule is to address the statutory requirements regarding the use of a uniform calendar to publish schedules for the administration of state-required and district-required public K-12 assessments and reporting student assessment results, as follows: 1) Per Section 1008.22(7)(b), F.S., the Commissioner shall publish a uniform calendar by August of each year beginning in 2016; 2) Per Section 1008.22(7)(c), F.S., each school district shall use this uniform calendar to publish its testing schedule, including all information required in Section 1008.22(7)(b), F.S., on its website and shall submit the schedule to the Department by October 1 of each year; each public school shall use the uniform calendar to publish the established schedule, including all information required in Section 1008.22(7)(b), F.S., on its website; and the established uniform calendar must be included in the parent guide required by Section 1002.23(5), F.S.

SUMMARY: The purpose of the proposed rule is to develop a template for the uniform assessment calendar, establish the requirements for the uniform assessment calendar template, and detail the expectations for the Department and school districts for populating the calendar. The proposed rule develops specific requirements for the information to be included in each populated calendar and the methods for calculating total test time, as required by Section 1008.22(7)(b)9., F.S. The proposed rule further clarifies criteria for posting the populated calendar to school district websites, public school websites, and within each district’s parent guide, as required by Section 1002.23(5), 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 relates only to the establishment of a uniform assessment calendar; therefore, there is no impact on economic growth, private sector job creation, employment, private sector investment, or business competitiveness. If there is any impact on such economic growth and private sector job creation, the impact would be positive because the establishment of a uniform assessment calendar aids in the uniformity of standardized testing across the state and, by making the uniform assessment calendar available to parents, assists in preparing students for standardized assessments, leading to higher testing performance. For the same reasons, though no impact on business competitiveness is anticipated, any impact would be positive. Because the proposed rule only relates to the establishment of a uniform assessment calendar, it is not likely to increase regulatory costs and will not require legislative ratification.

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: 1008.22(12), FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1002.23(5), 1008.22(7), FS.

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

DATE AND TIME: June 22, 2016, 8:30 a.m.

PLACE: Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Gardens Campus, 3160 PGA Boulevard, SC 127, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Vince Verges, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Accountability, Research, and Measurement; 325 W. Gaines St., Room 414, Tallahassee, FL 32399, [phone]

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

 

6A-1.094224 Uniform Assessment Calendar

(1) The purpose of this rule is to establish the criteria for the format of the Uniform Assessment Calendar template, as required by Section 1008.22(7), F.S.

(2) By August 1 of each year, the Department shall populate the Uniform Assessment Calendar template for each statewide assessment required by Section 1008.22, F.S. The Commissioner shall publish the populated template on the Department website and provide it to school district superintendents.

(3) The Uniform Assessment Calendar template shall include the following information:

(a) A glossary including definitions of terminology related to required statewide assessments.

(b) An explanation of the assessment type (e.g., summative, diagnostic, screening), purpose/required use, and statutory authority/required use citation for each required assessment.

(c) A section for required statewide assessments and a section for statewide assessments that are applicable to select students. The Department shall populate these sections of the template with the following information:

1. Assessment name;

2. Students to be tested;

3. Statewide testing window;

4. Testing mode (e.g., paper-based or computer-based);

5. Testing time; and

6. Date results are expected to be reported to teachers, students, and parents.

(d) A section with blank spaces in which districts shall record the assessment name, students to be tested, district testing window, mode, testing time, and date results are expected to be reported to teachers, students, and parents for each required district assessment.

(e) A section to calculate estimates of total testing times by grade level. The Department shall populate this section of the template with estimates of total testing times by grade level for required statewide assessments.

(4) Each district shall:

(a) Populate the Uniform Assessment Calendar template with the following information:

1. The district shall add rows as necessary to the “Glossary of Assessment Terms” section of the calendar in order to provide definitions for terminology related to district-required assessments, if applicable. The district shall not alter statewide assessment glossary information.

2. The district shall add rows as necessary to the “Test, Type, and Purpose/Use” section of the calendar in order to indicate the assessment name, type (e.g., summative, diagnostic, screening), purpose/required use, and statutory authority/required use citation for each required district assessment. The district shall not alter statewide assessment information.

3. The window during which districts will administer statewide assessments required for all students as well as those required for select students. If the district is not administering a statewide assessment that is only required for select students, the district shall indicate as such on the calendar. The district shall not alter any other statewide assessment information.

4. The assessment name, students to be tested, district testing window, mode, testing time, and date results are expected to be reported to teachers, students, and parents for each required district assessment.

5. The district shall populate the “District Assessments” column in the “Total Testing Time by Grade Level” section of the calendar by using information from Section 5, “District-Required Assessment Information.” The district shall then calculate the “Approximate Total Testing Time (In Minutes)” column of the “Total Testing Time by Grade Level” section; this total testing time should be the sum of minutes entered in the ”Statewide Assessments” and “District Assessments” columns by grade level.

a. For assessments administered over multiple days, the total minutes must be used (e.g., two 80-minute test sessions over two days should be entered as 160 minutes).

b. Subject-based assessments should be included with the grade level to which they are most likely to be administered (e.g., Biology 1 with grade 9).

(b) Upon district school board approval of the local assessment schedule, the district shall publish the populated Uniform Assessment Calendar on its website and submit it to the Department by October 1 of each year.

(c) Districts shall also provide the district-populated calendar to schools, and each school shall publish the calendar to its website and include it in the parent guide, required by Section 1002.23(5), F.S.

(5) The Uniform Assessment Calendar template, Form ARM 001, effective July 2016, (DOS link) is incorporated herein by reference and made part of this rule. Copies of the Uniform Assessment template may be obtained from the Office of Assessment, Division of Accountability Research and Measurement, Florida Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-0400 or by e-mailing [e-mail].

Rulemaking Authority 1008.22(12), F.S. Law Implemented 1002.23(5), 1008.22(7), F.S. New____.

 

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: May 23, 2016

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: April 28, 2016