MEAP SCORE REPORTING
House Bills 5193 and 5194
Sponsor: Rep. David Woodward
Committee: Education
Complete to 10-15-01
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 5193 AND 5194 AS INTRODUCED 10-11-01
The bills would require that the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) high school test be managed and administered by the Department of Treasury.
Currently the MEAP program is administered by the Department of Treasury under Executive Reorganization Order No. 1999-7 (more commonly known as Executive Order No. 1999-12), which was promulgated on October 19, 1999 and then ordered to take effect January 1, 2000. The executive order specifies that "all of the administrative statutory powers, duties, functions and responsibilities of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction as they relate to state assessments as set forth in the following provisions of the Michigan Compiled Laws:
1. Section 388.1081 et seq. Regarding assessment of educational progress;
2. Section 380.1279c and Section 380.1279(2)(3)(6)(7)(9)(10) and (12-16) regarding state assessments administered to high school pupils; and
3. Section 388.1704a(2)(3)(6)(7)(9)(11)(13)(14)(15) and (16) regarding state assessments administered to high school pupils,
are hereby transferred to the Department of Treasury by a Type II transfer." However, the EO further specifies: "The State Board of Education shall retain its policy making authority with regard to these statutory provisions by determining the policies, if any, on which the administration of these provisions shall be based."
Before the EO was executed by the governor, the Michigan Educational Assessment Program was administered by the Department of Education where testing specialists first developed the statewide assessment program in 1970. Between 1970 and 2000, various subject-matter tests were created in order to ascertain the educational progress of elementary, middle-, and high-school age students. Today, different subject matter tests are administered annually in grade 4 (reading and mathematics), grade 5 (science, social studies, and writing), grade 7 (reading and mathematics), grade 8 (mathematics, science, social studies, and writing), and grade 11 (reading, mathematics, science, social studies, and writing). According to the rationale offered in the EO, the assessment program was transferred from the Department of Education to the Department of Treasury because the treasury department administers the Michigan Merit Scholarship Award, a scholarship enacted in law during 1999. Under the Merit Scholarship program, a $2,500 scholarship is awarded to every eligible high school student based on his or
her achievement test scores earned on either the high school MEAP assessment (without regard for the social studies assessment), or the ACT Work Keys assessment.
As indicated below, the statutes have not been updated to reflect the changes in program administration since the EO was issued in 1999. Further, these bills would not incorporate the EO changes, but instead would lodge the responsibility for administering only the high school MEAP subject matter tests with the Department of Treasury. A detailed summary of each bill follows.
House Bill 5193 would amend the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1279) to specify that the Department of Treasury would be responsible to administer and manage the high school assessment program (administered in grade 11 to assess achievement in communication arts, mathematics, science, and social studies). Currently under the law this responsibility rests with the Department of Education, or in the case of particular provisions, with the Superintendent of Public Instruction subject to approval by the State Board of Education (but, again as noted, the executive order transferred these functions to the Department of Treasury).
House Bill 5193 would eliminate a provision that requires an annual comprehensive report to the legislature no later than July 1 about the status of the high school MEAP program. That report was required under the law until the year 2000, and included the annual pupil assessment data; a description of the feedback provided to students and their parents and schools; a description of significant alterations made in the program; any recommendations for legislative changes; and, an update of the reports of the assessment advisory committees of the State Board of Education. The bill also would eliminate an outdated provision that gave students an opportunity to re-take the high school assessments during the 1997-98 school year.
In addition, House Bill 5193 would require that the Department of Treasury ensure that the high school assessments are scored and returned to students, their parents, and their school districts no later than the next following July. Currently the law requires that the assessments be scored and returned no later than the beginning of the student's first semester of grade 12. Finally, the bill would require that in addition, the report to a student's school include at least a copy of each assessment test, a report of the student's answer on each multiple choice question, a copy of the student's answer on each essay question, and a report of the student's score on each essay question.
House Bill 5194 would amend the State School Aid Act (MCL 380.1704a) to specify that the Department of Treasury would be responsible to administer and manage all aspects of the high school assessment program (administered in grade 11 to assess achievement in communication arts, mathematics, science, and social studies). Currently under the law this responsibility rests with the Department of Education, or in the case of particular provisions, with the superintendent of public instruction subject to approval by the State Board of Education (but under the executive order, with the Department of Treasury).
In addition, House Bill 5194 would eliminate a requirement that not later than July 1 of each year, a comprehensive report be submitted to the legislature and to the state budget director concerning the status of the high school assessment program. Under the law this responsibility once fell to the Department of Education; however, that responsibility was eliminated on July 1, 2000.
Further, House Bill 5194 would require that the Department of Treasury ensure that the high school assessments are scored and returned to students, their parents, and their school districts no later than the next following July. Currently the law requires that the assessments be scored and returned no later than the beginning of the student's first semester of grade 12. Finally, the bill would require that in addition, the report to a student's school include at least a copy of each assessment test, a report of the student's answer on each multiple choice question, a copy of the student's answer on each essay question, and a report of the student's score on each essay question.
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.