(REPRINTED WITH ADOPTED AMENDMENTS)

 

Assembly Bill No. 318–Committee on Education

 

(On Behalf of Assemblyman Williams)

 

March 9, 2001

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Education

 

SUMMARY—Provides for development and distribution of certain information relating to high school proficiency examination. (BDR 34‑1301)

 

FISCAL NOTE:            Effect on Local Government: No.

                                    Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to education; requiring the department of education to develop an informational pamphlet for the high school proficiency examination; requiring the distribution of the pamphlet to pupils and parents and legal guardians; requiring the department to establish a statewide program for use by schools and school districts in their preparation of pupils for the high school proficiency examination; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1    Section 1. Chapter 389 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto

1-2  the provisions set forth as sections 2 and 3 of this act. 

1-3    Sec. 2. 1.  The department shall develop an informational pamphlet

1-4  concerning the high school proficiency examination for pupils who are

1-5  enrolled in junior high, middle school and high school, and their parents

1-6  and legal guardians. The pamphlet must include a written explanation of

1-7  the:

1-8    (a) Importance of passing the examination, including, without

1-9  limitation, an explanation that if the pupil fails the examination he is not

1-10  eligible to receive a standard high school diploma;

1-11    (b) Subject areas tested on the examination;

1-12    (c) Format for the examination, including, without limitation, the

1-13  range of items that are contained on the examination;

1-14    (d) Manner by which the scaled score, as reported to pupils and their

1-15  parents or legal guardians, is derived from the raw score;

1-16    (e) Timeline by which the results of the examination must be reported

1-17  to pupils and their parents or legal guardians;

2-1    (f) Maximum number of times that a pupil is allowed to take the

2-2  examination if he fails to pass the examination after the first

2-3  administration; and

2-4    (g) Courses of study that the department recommends that pupils take

2-5  to prepare the pupils to successfully meet the academic challenges of the

2-6  examination and pass the examination.

2-7    2.  The department shall review the pamphlet on an annual basis and

2-8  make such revisions to the pamphlet as it considers necessary to ensure

2-9  that pupils and their parents or legal guardians fully understand the

2-10  examination.

2-11    3.  On or before September 1, the department shall provide a copy of

2-12  the pamphlet or revised pamphlet to the board of trustees of each school

2-13  district and the governing body of each charter school that includes

2-14  pupils enrolled in a junior high, middle school or high school grade

2-15  level.

2-16    4.  The board of trustees of each school district shall provide a copy

2-17  of the pamphlet to each junior high, middle school or high school within

2-18  the school district for posting. The governing body of each charter school

2-19  shall ensure that a copy of the pamphlet is posted at the charter school.

2-20  Each principal of a junior high, middle school, high school or charter

2-21  school shall ensure that the teachers, counselors and administrators

2-22  employed at the school fully understand the contents of the pamphlet.

2-23    5.  On or before January 15, the:

2-24    (a) Board of trustees of each school district shall provide a copy of the

2-25  pamphlet to each pupil who is enrolled in a junior high, middle school or

2-26  high school of the school district and to the parents or legal guardians of

2-27  such a pupil.

2-28    (b) Governing body of each charter school shall provide a copy of the

2-29  pamphlet to each pupil who is enrolled in the charter school at a junior

2-30  high, middle school or high school grade level and to the parents or legal

2-31  guardians of such a pupil.

2-32    Sec. 3. 1.  The department shall establish a statewide program for

2-33  use by schools and school districts in their preparation of pupils for the

2-34  high school proficiency examination. The program must:

2-35    (a) Be designed to ensure that pupils understand the format for the

2-36  examination;

2-37    (b) Be designed to ensure that the actual examination is not included

2-38  within the materials and other information used for preparation; and

2-39    (c) Specify the type of sample questions and practice items that may be

2-40  included with the materials and other information used for preparation.

2-41    2.  Each school district, each middle school, junior high and high

2-42  school within a school district and each charter school that provides

2-43  instruction to pupils enrolled in a middle school, junior high or high

2-44  school grade level, shall comply with the statewide program established

2-45  pursuant to subsection 1. This subsection does not preclude a school or a

2-46  school district from providing additional materials and information for

2-47  preparation if the materials and information comply with the statewide

2-48  program.

3-1    Sec. 4. 1.  On or before September 1, 2001, the department of

3-2  education shall develop an informational pamphlet concerning the high

3-3  school proficiency examination pursuant to section 2 of this act. On or

3-4  before October 1, 2001, the department of education shall provide a copy

3-5  of the pamphlet to the board of trustees of each school district and the

3-6  governing body of each charter school that includes pupils who are

3-7  enrolled in a junior high, middle school or high school grade level.

3-8    2.  On or before September 1, 2001, the department of education shall

3-9  establish a statewide program for use by schools and school districts in

3-10  their preparation of pupils for the high school proficiency examination

3-11  pursuant to section 3 of this act. On or before October 1, 2001, the

3-12  department of education shall provide a detailed written explanation of the

3-13  statewide program to the board of trustees of each school district and the

3-14  governing body of each charter school that includes pupils who are

3-15  enrolled in a junior high, middle school or high school grade level.

3-16    Sec. 5. 1.  On or before January 15, 2002, the board of trustees of

3-17  each school district and the governing body of each charter school that

3-18  includes pupils who are enrolled in a junior high, middle school or high

3-19  school grade level, shall provide a copy of the pamphlet developed

3-20  pursuant to section 2 of this act to each pupil enrolled in a junior high,

3-21  middle school or high school and to the parents or legal guardians of such a

3-22  pupil.

3-23    2.  Each school district, each middle school, junior high and high

3-24  school within a school district and each charter school that provides

3-25  instruction to pupils enrolled in a middle school, junior high or high school

3-26  grade level, shall comply with the statewide program for the preparation of

3-27  pupils for the high school proficiency examination established by the

3-28  department of education pursuant to section 3 of this act commencing with

3-29  preparation that is provided for administrations of the examination in the

3-30  spring semester of 2002.

3-31    Sec. 6. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.

 

3-32  H