Senate Study Bill 1016 



                                       SENATE/HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  (PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF
                                            EDUCATION BILL)


    Passed Senate, Date               Passed House,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the establishment and implementation of a
  2    statewide writing assessment for public school students in
  3    grades three, six, and ten.
  4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  5 TLSB 1261XD 83
  6 kh/nh/24

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 256.7, Code 2009, is amended by adding
  1  2 the following new subsection:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  30.  Adopt rules establishing a statewide
  1  4 writing assessment for students in grade levels three, six,
  1  5 and ten.  The assessment shall measure the essential writing
  1  6 skills identified in the Iowa core curriculum, including but
  1  7 not limited to effective writing process; knowledge of
  1  8 purpose, audience, and format; writing in a variety of genres;
  1  9 using writing as a tool for learning; and writing on demand.
  1 10    a.  The rules shall require school districts to administer
  1 11 the assessment to all students at the grade levels three, six,
  1 12 and ten who are also administered the regular statewide
  1 13 assessments in reading, mathematics, and science.  School
  1 14 districts shall begin administering the assessments to
  1 15 students in grades three, six, and ten in the 2010=2011 school
  1 16 year.
  1 17    b.  The department shall collaborate with appropriate
  1 18 stakeholders on the development of the statewide writing
  1 19 assessment.  The department shall create a mechanism for
  1 20 collecting and reporting data resulting from the
  1 21 administration of the statewide writing assessment and shall
  1 22 include the data in the next following annual condition of
  1 23 education report.
  1 24                           EXPLANATION
  1 25    This bill requires the state board of education to
  1 26 establish a statewide writing assessment for students in
  1 27 grades three, six, and 10, and requires school districts to
  1 28 begin administering the assessments to students in grades 3,
  1 29 6, and 10 in the 2010=2011 school year.
  1 30    The assessment must be designed to measure the essential
  1 31 writing skills identified in the Iowa core curriculum,
  1 32 including but not limited to effective writing process;
  1 33 knowledge of purpose, audience, and format; writing in a
  1 34 variety of genres; using writing as a tool for learning; and
  1 35 writing on demand.
  2  1    The department of education is directed to collaborate with
  2  2 appropriate stakeholders on the development of the assessment,
  2  3 create a mechanism for collecting data and reporting the data
  2  4 resulting from administration of the assessments, and to
  2  5 include the data in the next following annual condition of
  2  6 education report published by the department.
  2  7 LSB 1261XD 83
  2  8 kh/nh/24.1