House of
Representatives
HB 2047
pupil assessments; AIMS transition
Sponsors: Representatives Goodale: Boyer
Overview
HB 2047 removes and replaces AIMS and NRT references throughout Title 15 and contains various delayed effective dates.
History
Arizona Revised Statutes §15-741 requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to implement the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards test (AIMS) as well as a statewide, nationally standardized norm-referenced achievement test (NRT). AIMS measures student proficiency of the Arizona Academic Content Standards in reading, writing, math and science and includes test items for NRT, which compares a student’s knowledge against students nationwide. In 1996, SBE began implementation of AIMS and designated grades three through eight and grade ten to be assessed through AIMS. Students in grade 10 or higher may retake AIMS once every fall and spring semester, as needed, until graduation. In order to graduate from high school, a student must pass all sections of AIMS.
The Common Core State Standards were developed in collaboration with teachers and the education community to provide a framework for core academic subjects that will prepare students for college and job opportunities after graduation from high school. Currently, 46 states have adopted some version of the standards. SBE adopted Arizona’s Common Core Standards (ACCS) on June 28, 2010 and will begin implementing ACCS in the end-of-course PARCC assessment that will be used to assess students’ knowledge of the new standards in English language arts and math. PARCC, specifically, is an acronym for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career and is also used when referring to the PARCC assessment of ACCS that will be replacing AIMS.
On December 14, 2012 SBE voted for and approved a plan to transition from AIMS to PARCC. HB 2047 contains the necessary statutory changes to allow SBE to begin the transition.
Provisions
· Removes AIMS and NRT testing references and replaces most references with competency test adopted by SBE to allow for the transition from AIMS to PARCC.
· Allows SBE to incorporate PARCC test results in the minimum course of study and competency requirements for high school graduation.
· Requires SBE to prescribe the format for recording PARCC test results on high school transcripts.
· Replaces AIMS intervention references in the classroom site fund definitions section with student remediation and defines the term.
· Repeals the sections related to 1) alternative high school graduation requirements, 2) exemptions for NRTs and 3) nationally standardized testing.
· Contains Session Law that permits a PARCC score to be substituted for an AIMS score in order to satisfy graduation requirements, if the student is in twelfth grade and graduating in either 2015 or 2016.
· Contains various delayed effective dates.
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· Fifty-first Legislature
· First Regular Session 2 February 5, 2013
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