House Introduced Bill 4492

HOUSE BILL No. 4492


     March 12, 1997, Introduced by Reps. Profit, Palamara, Willard, Schauer, Scranton, LaForge, Bogardus, Goschka, McBryde, Tesanovich, Cropsey and Lowe and referred to the Committee on Education.


        A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled

   "The revised school code,"

   by amending section 1279 (MCL 380.1279), as amended by 1995 PA

   289.

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 1         Sec. 1279.  (1)  The  BEGINNING WITH PUPILS SCHEDULED TO

 2    GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 1998, FOR EACH HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE

 3    OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR PUBLIC SCHOOL ACADEMY WHO HAS COMPLETED

 4    AN ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (4) IN ANY OF

 5    THE SUBJECT AREAS OF COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS, MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE,

 6    AND, BEGINNING WITH PUPILS SCHEDULED TO GRADUATE IN 2000, SOCIAL

 7    STUDIES, THE board of  a  THE school district or public school

 8    academy shall INCLUDE ON THE GRADUATE'S HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT

 9    THE ACTUAL TEST SCORE ACHIEVED BY THE GRADUATE ON EACH OF THE

10    ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS HE OR SHE COMPLETED.  IF A GRADUATE HAS


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 1    REPEATED AN ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT FOR A SUBJECT AREA UNDER

 2    SUBSECTION (2), THE HIGHEST TEST SCORE ACHIEVED BY THE GRADUATE

 3    ON AN ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT FOR THAT SUBJECT AREA SHALL BE THE

 4    SCORE INCLUDED ON THE TRANSCRIPT FOR THAT SUBJECT AREA.  award a

 5     state endorsed high school diploma to an eligible high school

 6     graduate as provided in this section.  For a pupil scheduled to

 7     graduate from high school in 1994, 1995, or 1996 to be eligible

 8     for a state endorsement in 1 or more of the subject areas of com-

 9     munication arts, mathematics, or science, the pupil must achieve

10     at least 1 of the following:

11          (a) A passing score on locally-adopted and state-approved

12     basic proficiency tests measuring proficiency in 1 or more of the

13     subject areas specified in this subsection.

14          (b) If the pupil is eligible to take the general education

15     development (G.E.D.)  test, a passing score in 1 or more of the

16     subject areas specified in this subsection and tested in the

17     G.E.D. test.

18          (c) For a state endorsement in communications arts, at least

19     a score of moderate on the reading portion of the Michigan educa-

20     tional assessment program (MEAP) grade 10 test; for a state

21     endorsement in mathematics, at least a score of moderate on the

22     mathematics portion of the MEAP grade 10 test; and, for a state

23     endorsement in science, at least 50% of the objectives on the

24     science portion of the MEAP grade 11 test.  For pupils scheduled

25     to graduate in 1997, the department may use a version of the

26     science assessment instrument developed under subsection (8)

27     instead of the science portion of the MEAP grade 11 test, and, in



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 1    its discretion, may administer that science assessment instrument

 2     in the fall of 1995 or the spring of 1996, or both.  If the

 3     department uses that science assessment instrument, as provided

 4     under this subdivision, the department, based on expert advice,

 5     shall determine the level of proficiency that must be demon-

 6     strated for a pupil scheduled to graduate in 1997 to earn a state

 7     endorsement in science.

 8          (2) For pupils scheduled to graduate from high school in

 9     1997, if a pupil achieves the academic objectives required by the

10     state board, as measured by an assessment instrument developed

11     under subsection (8), for a state-endorsed high school diploma,

12     or meets the requirements described in subsection (1)(c) for a

13     state-endorsed diploma, in 1 or more of the subject areas of com-

14     munications skills, mathematics, and science, the pupil's school

15     district or public school academy shall award a state endorsement

16     on the pupil's diploma in each of the subject areas in which the

17     pupil demonstrated the required proficiency.  Beginning with

18     pupils scheduled to graduate in 1998, if a pupil achieves the

19     objectives required by the state board, as measured by an assess-

20     ment instrument developed under subsection (8), for a

21     state-endorsed high school diploma in 1 or more of the subject

22     areas of communications skills, mathematics, science, and, begin-

23     ning with pupils scheduled to graduate in 2000, social studies,

24     the pupil's school district or public school academy shall award

25     a state endorsement on the pupil's diploma in each of the subject

26     areas in which the pupil demonstrated the required proficiency.

27     A school district or public school academy shall not award a



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 1    state endorsement to a pupil unless the pupil meets the

 2     applicable requirements for the endorsement, as described in this

 3     subsection.  A school district or public school academy may award

 4     a high school diploma to a pupil who successfully completes local

 5     school district or public school academy requirements established

 6     in accordance with state law for high school graduation, regard-

 7     less of whether the pupil is eligible for any state endorsement.

 8          (3) A school district that offers a pupil the opportunity to

 9     pass a basic proficiency test described in subsection (1)(a) as 1

10     means to obtain a state-endorsed diploma in 1994, 1995, or 1996

11     may submit the school district's own basic proficiency test to

12     the department for approval to be used by the district to assess

13     proficiency.

14          (4) A pupil who does not achieve at least 1 of the require-

15     ments listed in subsection (1) or the requirements of

16     subsection (2), as applicable, may be reevaluated each school

17     year until the pupil achieves an applicable requirement for a

18     state-endorsed diploma.  In addition, the board of the school

19     district or public school academy in which the pupil is enrolled

20     shall provide that there be at least 1 meeting attended by at

21     least the pupil and a member of the school district's or public

22     school academy's staff or a local or intermediate school district

23     consultant who is proficient in the measurement and evaluation of

24     pupils.  The school district or public school academy may provide

25     the meeting as a group meeting for pupils in similar

26     circumstances.  If the pupil is a minor, the school district or

27     public school academy shall invite and encourage the pupil's



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 1    parent, legal guardian, or person in loco parentis to attend the

 2     meeting and shall mail a notice of the meeting to the pupil's

 3     parent, legal guardian, or person in loco parentis.  The purpose

 4     of this meeting and any subsequent meeting under this subsection

 5     shall be to determine an educational program for the pupil

 6     designed to have the pupil reach proficiency in each subject or

 7     skill area in which he or she was assessed by the testing as not

 8     proficient.  In addition, a school district or public school

 9     academy may provide for subsequent meetings with the pupil con-

10     ducted by a high school counselor or teacher designated by the

11     pupil's high school principal, and shall invite and encourage the

12     pupil's parent, legal guardian, or person in loco parentis to

13     attend the subsequent meetings.  The school district or public

14     school academy shall provide special programs for the pupil or

15     develop a program using the educational programs regularly pro-

16     vided by the district unless the board of the school district or

17     public school academy decides otherwise and publishes and

18     explains its decision in a public justification report.  A pupil

19     may be reevaluated at any time the school district or public

20     school academy administers an applicable assessment instrument.

21          (5) For a state-endorsed diploma, a pupil must achieve at

22     least 1 of the requirements listed in subsection (1) or the

23     requirements of subsection (2), as applicable, in addition to any

24     other requirements established by law or by the board of the

25     school district or public school academy for a high school

26     diploma.  If the board of a school district or public school

27     academy determines that a pupil qualifies for a state-endorsed



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 1    diploma, the board shall indicate on the pupil's high school

 2     diploma and transcript that the pupil achieved the proficiency

 3     necessary for receipt of a state-endorsed diploma. 

 4         (2)  (6)  An individual may repeat any of the  tests or 

 5    assessment instruments specified in  subsection (1) or

 6     subsection (2), as applicable,  SUBSECTION (4) at any time the

 7    school district or public school academy regularly offers the

 8     test or  assessment.  or, for the MEAP tests described in

 9     subsection (1)(c), during the established testing period, and,

10     upon achieving at least 1 of the requirements listed in

11     subsection (1) or the requirements of subsection (2), as applica-

12     ble, and completing all other applicable requirements for a high

13     school diploma, shall be awarded a state-endorsed diploma. 

14         (3)  (7)  A school district or public school academy shall

15    provide accommodations to a pupil with disabilities for the pro-

16    ficiency  testing or  assessment required under this section, as

17    provided under section 504 of title V of the rehabilitation act

18    of 1973, Public Law 93-112, 29 U.S.C. 794; subtitle A of title II

19    of the Americans with disabilities act of 1990, Public Law

20    101-336, 42 U.S.C. 12131 to 12134; and the implementing regula-

21    tions for those statutes.  A special education pupil scheduled

22     to graduate in 1994, 1995, or 1996 who has passed an alternative

23     form of assessment permitted under section 104a of the state

24     school aid act of 1979, being section 388.1604a of the Michigan

25     Compiled Laws, as that section was in effect for the 1992-93

26     state fiscal year, shall receive the applicable endorsement under

27     this section. 



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 1         (4)  (8)  For the purposes of this section, the state board

 2    shall develop or select and approve assessment instruments to

 3    determine pupil  proficiency  PERFORMANCE in communications

 4    skills, mathematics, social studies, and science.  The assessment

 5    instruments shall be based on the state board model core academic

 6    content standards objectives.

 7          (9) The state board shall develop or select and approve

 8     assessment instruments for the purpose of awarding state endorse-

 9     ments of advanced mastery in specified subject areas.

10          (10) The state board shall establish a novice level score

11     for each state-endorsed diploma assessment developed or selected

12     and approved under subsection (8).  If a graduate achieves a

13     novice level score in a subject area on an assessment, the tran-

14     script shall include a notation to that effect but shall not be

15     considered to be a state-endorsed diploma for that subject area. 

16         (5)  (11)  All assessment instruments developed or selected

17    and approved by the state under any statute or rule for a purpose

18    related to K to 12 education shall be objective-oriented and con-

19    sistent with the state board model core academic  curriculum 

20    CONTENT STANDARDS OBJECTIVES.

21          (12) Upon payment of a reasonable fee any person may take

22     the state-endorsed diploma test and, upon achieving the initial

23     mastery level in a subject area, have his or her high school

24     diploma state-endorsed for that subject area. 









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