SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 67

(By Senators Boley, Beach, Blair, Cline, Facemire, Karnes, Sypolt, Rucker, Maynard, Boso, and Plymale)

[Introduced March 9, 2018]

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government Organization to conduct a study to determine how West Virginia state students can improve their educational test scores.

Whereas, The West Virginia State Constitution mandates that “the Legislature shall provide, by general law, for a thorough, and efficient system of free schools”; and

Whereas, West Virginia’s college remediation rates in English Language Arts and are 36 percent and 57 percent, respectively; and

Whereas, Ineffective current national standards and assessments have contributed to a decrease in student achievements; and

Whereas, According to numerous reports, West Virginia students rank as one of the lowest in the nation; and

Whereas, While the number of West Virginia students who take advanced placement exams has more than doubled over the past decade, in 2013 the state ranked 46th in the country for the number of students who actually pass the test to obtain college credit. The annual AP Report to the Nation showed that 9.8 percent of West Virginia high school graduates achieved a score of three or higher on an AP test in 2012, allowing them to earn college credit. The national average is nearly twice that, at 19.5 percent; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Joint Committee on Government Organization is hereby requested to conduct a study to determine how West Virginia state students can improve their educational test scores; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the West Virginia Legislature shall conduct an independent study of the current West Virginia education standards, curricula, assessments, teacher licensure requirements, and other relevant factors to determine a state-led approach in obtaining and achieving higher test scores, proficiencies, and achievements rates in West Virginia; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government Organization is hereby requested to conduct a study to determine how West Virginia state students can improve their educational test scores, and increase proficiencies and their achievements rates in West Virginia; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government Organization report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2019, on its findings, conclusions, and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report, and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.