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2001 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 385
Continuing the Commission on Educational Accountability.

Agreed to by the Senate, February 22, 2001
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 21, 2001

WHEREAS, Senate Joint Resolution No. 498 established the Commission in 1999 to study educational accountability; and

WHEREAS, the Commission was directed to examine a plethora of issues, and was to review the Standards of Accreditation and the accountability mechanisms included therein as well as monitor the implementation of the Standards of Learning and assessments; and

WHEREAS, in meeting the directives of Senate Joint Resolution No. 498, the Commission was to consider the work and recommendations of other named education study committees and develop recommendations for ways to increase the capacity of schools, teachers, and students to meet increasingly rigorous academic standards; and

WHEREAS, also among the Commission's duties were an examination of the effects on the Commonwealth's young people of failure to obtain a diploma pursuant to requirements of the Standards of Accreditation for Public Schools in Virginia; an evaluation of the Commonwealth's statutes, regulations, and policies governing the academic assessment of students who transfer into Virginia's public schools; a determination of the feasibility and appropriateness of establishing a certificate of completion for certain vocational programs in public high schools; and a study of the instructional needs of students and teachers in the public schools of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the Commission was also to determine the efficacy and appropriateness of the Commonwealth's system of funding the Standards of Quality for public schools and to examine the effect of the Standards of Learning and the Standards of Accreditation on teachers, urban and small rural school divisions, and educationally at-risk students; and

WHEREAS, collaborating with the Commission in its multifaceted mission were three task forces, addressing issues as diverse as workforce needs of the 21st century (House Joint Resolution No. 566--1999), the fiscal impact of the Standards of Accreditation (House Joint Resolution No. 723--1999), and assessments for students in special education (House Joint Resolution No. 302--2000); and

WHEREAS, also assigned to the Commission by the 2000 Session of the General Assembly were the continuation of the work of the Joint Subcommittee on Remediation pursuant to House Joint Resolution No. 302, and a study of the demand for and supply of classroom teachers pursuant to House Joint Resolution No. 159 and Senate Joint Resolution No. 248; and

WHEREAS, with the adoption of final revisions to the Standards of Accreditation by the Board of Education in fall 2000, ongoing efforts to improve student performance on as well as the administration of the Standards of Learning assessments, and the phasing in of school accreditation requirements, the issue of educational accountability will continue to be a primary concern for legislators, educators, parents, and students; and

WHEREAS, another year of study will enable the Commission to pursue more fully its mission and to address more effectively the myriad of educational accountability issues assigned to it; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Commission on Educational Accountability be continued for one year. The Commission shall consist of 25 members, which shall include 14 legislative members, eight nonlegislative members, and three ex officio members to be appointed as follows: six members of the Senate, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; eight members of the House of Delegates, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; one parent of a child who is enrolled in the public schools of the Commonwealth, one public school teacher, and one school principal, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; one division superintendent, one representative of the Virginia School Boards Association, and three citizens at large, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; and the Secretary of Education, the President of the Board of Education, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who shall serve ex officio with full voting privileges; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Special Task Force of the Commission on Educational Accountability to Study the Educational Needs of the 21st Century be continued. The special task force shall consist of 16 members, which shall include six legislative members, five nonlegislative members, and five ex officio members as follows: two members of the Senate, of whom one shall be a member of the Commission on Educational Accountability, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; four members of the House of Delegates, of whom two shall be members of the Commission on Educational Accountability, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; two citizens representing the business community and public education grades K-12, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; three citizens representing public higher education and industry, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; and the Secretary of Education; the Secretary of Commerce and Trade; the Superintendent of Public Instruction; the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System; and the Director of the State Council of Higher Education, who shall serve ex officio with full voting privileges. The chairman and vice-chairman of the Special Task Force on the Educational Needs of the 21st Century shall be members of the Virginia General Assembly; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Special Task Force of the Commission on Educational Accountability to Examine the Impact of the Standards of Accreditation on Local School Division Budgets be continued. The special task force shall consist of 10 legislative members as follows: four members of the Senate, of whom two shall be members of the Commission on Educational Accountability, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; and six members of the House of Delegates, of whom three shall be members of the Commission on Educational Accountability to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Special Task Force of the Commission on Educational Accountability to Examine the Need for Appropriate Alternative Forms of Standards of Learning Assessments for Students Receiving Special Education and Related Services be continued. The special task force shall consist of 10 members of the Commission on Educational Accountability to be appointed as follows: four members to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections and six members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates.

The Division of Legislative Services shall continue to provide staff support for the Commission and its special task forces.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Commission, upon request.

The direct costs of the Special Task Force of the Commission on Educational Accountability to Study the Educational Needs of the 21st Century shall not exceed $6,000, representing three meetings during the 2001 legislative interim.

The direct costs of the Special Task Force of the Commission on Educational Accountability to Examine the Impact of the Standards of Accreditation on Local School Division Budgets shall not exceed $7,500, representing three meetings during the 2001 legislative interim.

The direct costs of the Special Task Force of the Commission on Educational Accountability to Examine the Need for Appropriate Alternative Forms of Standards of Learning Assessments for Students Receiving Special Education and Related Services shall not exceed $7,500, representing three meetings during the 2001 legislative interim.

The direct costs of Commission on Educational Accountability shall not exceed $17,200, representing four meetings during the 2001 legislative interim.

The Commission on Educational Accountability and its task forces shall schedule their meetings consecutively on the same date, to the extent practicable, to conserve costs.

The total direct costs of this study shall not exceed $38,200, representing the sum of the direct costs for the Commission and its task forces, during the 2001 legislative interim.

The Commission shall complete its work in time to submit its written findings and recommendations, including the reports of its task forces, by November 30, 2001, to the Governor and the 2002 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may withhold expenditures or delay the period for the conduct of the study.