FIRST REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 41

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ERVIN.

2389L.02I

            Whereas, students and their parents have the right and the responsibility to have a valid measure of students' academic progress based on actual achievement progress rather than socio-economic status or other nonacademic variables; and

            Whereas, criterion-referenced testing is the most commonly accepted means by which true academic diagnoses, progress, and merit might be attained through "clear" and "measurable" standards, objectives, and assessment items; and

            Whereas, our state has developed criterion-referenced testing and curriculum frameworks, along with grade-level expectations, and has begun to align high school exit with college entrance requirements, but has not performed a thorough statewide curriculum audit and alignment:

            Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fifth General Assembly, First Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby resolve:

            (1) That a curriculum audit be conducted for the state of Missouri. An external audit would be preferable, but an internal audit would be acceptable, provided that the personnel involved be trained by professionals. In either case, the audit should be performed or overseen by a company which has conducted at least thirty audits in the past three years;

            (2) That, upon completion of the curriculum audit, the state develop a scope-and-sequence of all tested skills, and the skills which would fall between them, which is "clear" and "measurable", and which is fully available to all students, parents, teachers, and any other member of the public who would request it, and that it be published in the form of parallel test items, as well as a description, both "clear" and "measurable" of their content and format;

            (3) In order for every student in the state to benefit from the curriculum audit, the state must conduct a deep alignment at the state level, using the "clear" and "measurable" standards, objectives, and assessment items, then develop a user-friendly model curriculum, instruction, and assessment guide to be used or not, according to the preference of the district; and

            Be it further resolved that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the Missouri State Board of Education and the Commissioner of Education of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

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