05 LC 22
5723
House
Resolution 61
By:
Representative Ashe of the
56th
A
RESOLUTION
Urging
the State Board of Education and the State School Superintendent to revise
Georgiás
accountability plan to include student performance in science in elementary
schools; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended in 2001, requires
states requesting federal funds for education to submit a state accountability
plan to the United States Department of Education for approval; and
WHEREAS,
the United States Department of Education has approved
Georgiás
plan and subsequent amendments to the plan; and
WHEREAS,
the accountability plan establishes academic standards and includes testing
requirements to measure whether student achievement in each local public school
is making adequate yearly progress; and
WHEREAS,
students in local schools that fail to achieve adequate yearly progress may be
eligible to receive supplemental services, such as tutoring or remedial
instruction, and may be eligible to transfer to a local public school that is
achieving adequate yearly progress; and
WHEREAS,
Georgia elementary schools test students in reading, English/language arts,
math, social studies, and science with criterion-referenced tests designed to
measure whether the students are learning the state curriculum for these
subjects; and
WHEREAS,
although elementary students are tested in science, adequate yearly progress is
measured only by student performance on reading, English/language arts, and
math; and
WHEREAS,
high school students are tested on science for the high school graduation test,
and many have not performed well in science and are in danger of completing high
school without graduating because of inadequate performance in science;
and
WHEREAS, an understanding of the scientific method and knowledge of scientific facts and principles are increasingly vital in our complex world that relies more and more on technology; and
WHEREAS, an understanding of the scientific method and knowledge of scientific facts and principles are increasingly vital in our complex world that relies more and more on technology; and
WHEREAS,
in our global economy,
Georgiás
citizens compete for jobs with other potential employees worldwide, and many of
the well-paying jobs of the future will require a scientific education;
and
WHEREAS,
revising
Georgiás
plan to require measuring student achievement in science in elementary school
would appropriately emphasize the importance of science and lead to improvement
in elementary instruction, providing students with better preparation for high
school instruction in science and enhancing their opportunities to graduate from
high school.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body urge the State Board of Education and the State School Superintendent
to amend Georgia’s accountability plan to measure adequate yearly progress
in elementary students to include science.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit appropriate copies of this resolution to the State
Board of Education and the State School Superintendent.