CA Educ Code Section 60852.1

(a)

The Superintendent shall recommend, and the state board shall select, members of a panel that shall convene to make recommendations regarding alternative means for eligible pupils with disabilities to demonstrate that they have achieved the same level of academic achievement in the content standards in English language arts or mathematics, or both, required for passage of the high school exit examination.

(1)

The panel shall be composed of educators and other individuals who have experience with the population of pupils with disabilities eligible for alternative means of demonstrating academic achievement, as defined in Section 60852.2, and educators and other individuals who have expertise with multiple forms of assessment. The panel shall consult with experts in other states that offer alternative means for pupils with disabilities to demonstrate academic achievement. A majority of the panel shall be classroom teachers.

(2)

The panel shall make findings and recommendations regarding all of the following:

(A)

Specific options for alternative assessments, submission of evidence, or other alternative means by which eligible pupils with disabilities may demonstrate that they have achieved the same level of academic achievement in the content standards in English language arts or mathematics, or both, required for passage of the high school exit examination.

(B)

Scoring or other evaluation systems designed to ensure that the eligible pupil with a disability has achieved the same competence in the content standards required for passage of the high school exit examination.

(C)

Processes to ensure that the form, content, and scoring of assessments, evidence, or other means of demonstrating academic achievement are applied uniformly across the state.

(D)

Estimates of one-time or ongoing costs, and whether each option should be implemented on a statewide or regional basis, or both.

(3)

The panel shall present its options and make its findings and recommendations to the Superintendent and to the state board by October 1, 2009.

(b)

For those portions of, or those academic content standards assessed by, the high school exit examination for which the state board determines it is feasible to create alternative means by which eligible pupils with disabilities may demonstrate the same level of academic achievement required for passage of the high school exit examination, the state board, taking into consideration the findings and recommendations of the panel, shall adopt regulations for alternative means by which eligible pupils with disabilities, as defined in Section 60852.2, may demonstrate that they have achieved the same level of academic achievement in the content standards required for passage of the high school exit examination. The regulations shall include appropriate timelines and the manner in which eligible pupils with disabilities and school districts shall be timely notified of the results.