DAR File No. 32731

Education, Administration

R277-402-1

Definitions

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE

DAR File No.: 32731
Filed: 06/15/2009, 02:54
Received by: NL

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

Section R277-402-1 is amended to include language from the 2009 Legislative Session as provided in H.B. 334 that changes the direct writing assessment to an online process and changes the required grade level testing from 6 and 9 to 5 and 8. (DAR NOTE: H.B. 334 (2009) is found at Chapter 300, Laws of Utah 2009, and is effective 07/01/2009.)

Summary of the rule or change:

The amendment changes the direct writing assessment to an online process and the required grade level testing from 6 and 9 to 5 and 8 in the definition section of the rule.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

Subsection 53A-1-708(5)

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There are no anticipated costs to the state budget. The online direct writing assessment will be administered at the local level and change grade levels but not increase testing requirements.

local governments:

There are no anticipated costs to local government. School districts and charter schools have received funding to develop the necessary infrastructure and purchase the necessary technology for computer-based testing. There will probably be savings to school districts and charter schools because online testing will eliminate paper, scoring, mailing, and other costs related to paper tests.

small businesses and persons other than businesses:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to small businesses AND persons other than businesses. The requirement for online direct writing assessment is applicable to Utah public schools.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There are no compliance costs for affected persons. School districts and charter schools have received funding to develop the necessary infrastructure and purchase the necessary technology for computer-based required testing.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

I have reviewed this rule and I see no fiscal impact on businesses. Patti Harrington, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Education
Administration
250 E 500 S
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84111-3272

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

Carol Lear at the above address, by phone at 801-538-7835, by FAX at 801-538-7768, or by Internet E-mail at carol.lear@schools.utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

07/31/2009

This rule may become effective on:

08/07/2009

Authorized by:

Carol Lear, Director, School Law and Legislation

R277. Education, Administration.

R277-402. Online Testing.

R277-402-1. Definitions.

A. "Board" means the Utah State Board of Education.

B. "Formative assessment" means an activity, such as questioning, observation, interview and assessment, engaged in by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students' achievement of intended instructional outcomes.

C. "Intent to implement a uniform online summative test system" as used in 53A-1-708(4) means the commitment by the USOE to provide a consistent statewide process for school districts/charter schools to administer 100 percent of CRT U-PASS-required assessments. This includes the willingness of school districts/charter schools to provide documentation of preparatory activities and of actual test-taking by students.

D. "Online formative assessment system" means a system coordinated by the USOE for the online delivery of formative assessments that can be created by teachers, school districts/charter schools, or the USOE. One part of the system is the Utah Test Item Pool Service (UTIPS).

E. "Summative tests" means tests administered near the end of a course to assess overall achievement of course goals.

F. "Uniform online summative test system" means a statewide process coordinated by the USOE for the online delivery of summative tests required under U-PASS.

G. "Utah Performance Assessment System for Students (U-PASS)" means:

(1) systematic norm-referenced achievement testing of all students in grades 3 (administration in fall and spring), 5, and 8 required by this part in all schools within each school district and in charter schools by means of tests designated by the Board;

(2) criterion-referenced achievement testing of students in all grade levels in:

(a) language arts (grades 2-11);

(b) mathematics (grades 2-7) and pre-algebra, elementary Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and geometry;

(c) science (grades 4-8) and earth systems, biology, chemistry, and physics; and

(3) an online direct writing assessment in grades [6]5 and [9]8;

(4) a tenth grade basic skills competency test as detailed in Section 53A-1-611; and

(5) the use of student behavior indicators in assessing student performance.

H. "USOE" means Utah State Office of Education.

I. "USOE item pool" means all test items developed for or by USOE which are intended to support the instruction of the Utah curriculum for Utah K-12 teachers and students.

J. "Utah Test Item Pool Service (UTIPS)" means a system which includes the USOE item pool, all copyrights, logos, the UTIPS website and domain name, all copyrighted materials, and all other items and equipment used to provide and enhance the USOE item pool.

K. "UTIPS Steering Committee" means a committee formed to govern, support, develop and administer UTIPS. The committee is comprised of the elected co-chairs of the UTIPS User's Group and the UTIPS Operators' Group, the USOE Assessment Director, the USOE Computer Based Assessments Specialist, the USOE Curriculum Director, and one at-large member.

 

KEY: online testing

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [November 26, 2007]2009

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: Art X Sec 3; 53A-1-708(5); 53A-1-401(3)