110 HR 2846 IH: Improving Classroom Learning and U.S. House of Representatives 2007-06-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2846 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 25, 2007 Mr. Yarmuth introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To improve the quality of classroom learning by empowering States to develop performance-based assessments that measure higher order thinking skills.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Improving Classroom Learning and Student Performance Act of 2007.

2.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Performance-based assessment

The term performance-based assessment means assessments that evaluate applications of knowledge to real-world tasks. Such assessments are designed to measure higher order thinking and performance skills. (2)

Higher order thinking and performance skills

The term higher order thinking and performance skills means the abilities to— (A)frame and solve problems; (B)find, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize information; (C)apply knowledge to new problems or situations; (D)develop and test complex ideas; and (E)communicate ideas or solutions proficiently in oral or written form. (3)

Multiple measures

The term multiple measures means different sources of evidence of student learning in a subject or across subject areas. Such sources of evidence provide multiple opportunities to demonstrate achievement, are accessible to students at varying levels of proficiency, and utilize different methods for demonstrating achievement.

3.

Purposes

The purposes of this Act are as follows: (1)To empower States to develop assessment systems that— (A)are aligned with student learning standards; (B)provide multiple measures of student learning, including performance assessments that assess higher order thinking and performance skills; (C)include local assessments that provide timely, diagnostic information about student learning; (D)are consistent with nationally recognized professional standards for test construction and test use, including standards of fairness, reliability, and validity; (E)employ principles of universal design and use appropriately designed assessments and accommodations for special populations and English language learners; and (F)are used for purposes for which they are valid and reliable. (2)To ensure that local assessments include common assessments developed for use at the school or district level, and classroom-based evidence obtained from curriculum-embedded assessments. Such assessments may be used in the State assessment system when they— (A)assess student learning in light of content standards, including higher order thinking and performance skills; (B)meet technical requirements of validity and reliability; (C)are fair and unbiased; (D)include multiple sources of evidence about student learning; and (E)can be used to demonstrate student progress toward and attainment of proficiency.

4.

Grants for performance-based assessment systems

(a)

Program Established

From funds made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall award grants to State educational agencies receiving funds under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 that demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Secretary, based on peer review, that the requirements of this section will be met, to— (1)enable States (or consortia of States) to collaborate with institutions of higher education, other research institutions, or other organizations to improve the quality, validity, and reliability of State and local academic assessments, including the development or enhancement of State or local performance assessments that can be used for diagnostic purposes and as part of the State accountability system; (2)enable States to develop the capacity of local education agencies to validly and reliably assess student academic achievement using multiple sources of evidence, including school-based performance assessments; and (3)enable States and local districts to develop the capacity of teachers and school leaders to develop, use, and reliably evaluate the results of locally-administered performance assessments. (b)

Minimum award

Each grant under this section shall be for at least $5,000,000 per year. (c)

Duration

Each grant under this section shall be for a period of not more than 5 years. (d)

Technical assistance

Each State receiving a grant under this section shall allocate at least 5 percent of the grant for technical assistance. The State shall use that allocation to work with universities or other non-profit research organizations that have expertise in performance assessments for assistance in the development, implementation, evaluation and improvement of State and local performance assessment systems. The universities and non-profit research organizations shall use the amounts to develop tools States can use, such as various methods for weighting indicators used in the assessment and improvement system or means for evaluating assessments systems and the consequences of their use. (e)

Allowable uses

(1)

In general

A grant under this section may be used for— (A)developing, piloting, and validating performance assessments that are or will be incorporated into their assessment systems; (B)training teachers and school leaders to score such assessments; and (C)developing and testing systems for auditing or moderating the scoring process to ensure reliability and validity of such assessments. (2)

Subgrants

The State may, pursuant to criteria established by the State, make subgrants to local educational agencies or schools to— (A)develop and implement local performance assessments; and (B)train teachers and school leaders to score and use such assessments for tracking student progress and for guiding curriculum and instruction. (3)

Formative assessments

A State, local educational agency, or school may use funds under this section to support the development and implementation of formative assessments that are performance-based and that enable schools to provide detailed feedback to students and teachers to enable them to improve their learning and teaching. (4)

Other uses

A State may retain a portion of the grant amounts to— (A)develop integrated State assessment systems that incorporate and weight multiple measures, including the results of periodic standardized tests and State or local performance assessments; (B)collaborate with other States in sharing knowledge on the development and use of such systems and their assessment components; (C)provide assistance to local educational agencies and schools in developing and implementing their assessments; or (D)evaluate the local assessments. (5)

States that have already begun to develop

A State that has already begun to develop such a system is eligible under this section to strengthen or expand its local assessments. (f)

Requirements

Any State that receives funds under this section shall meet the following requirements: (1)Ensure that high-quality professional development is available for educators to help develop and learn to use and score the assessments. (2)Develop means to ensure that State and local assessments are aligned to learning standards, meet professional assessment standards, are unbiased, and valid for the purposes for which they will be used, and are scored reliably. These means shall include mechanisms for training scorers and providing a process of expert review, auditing, or moderation to ensure the integrity of the scoring process. (3)Develop means to integrate local performance assessment results with those of State benchmark examinations in the State accountability system for purposes of evaluating schools and student progress. (g)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section— (1)$200,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; (2)$200,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; (3)$200,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; (4)$200,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and (5)$200,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.