RELATING TO AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENTS.

HB98

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

98

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to authentic assessments
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the
federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the 2009 United States Department
of Education grant competition, the Race to the Top Assessment Program, shifted
national education priorities from inquiry-based teaching to standardized
testing.
�
This shift led to teachers and
administrators spending more time, money, and energy on standardized testing at
the expense of alternative learning pathways.

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The
legislature further finds that an overemphasis on standardized testing narrows
academic curricula, causing teachers to teach to the test and leading to
reductions in arts and cultural education and vocational programs.
�
Overemphasizing standardized testing also
creates a climate of compliance and fear among students, teachers, and
administrators.
�
Moreover, research shows
that the negative effects of standardized testing, such as diverted resources
and low teacher morale, most directly harm students in low-income communities
and minority students.

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The
legislature also finds that the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015
urged states to adopt innovative assessments as an alternative to standardized
testing.
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Authentic assessments align
classroom curricula with real-world problem solving.
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Examples of authentic assessments include
project-based learning, problem-based learning, scientific experimentation,
technological innovation, historical analysis, and portfolio writing.

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The
purpose of this Act is to promote twenty-first century learning for Hawaii's
public school children by authorizing public school complexes to use authentic
assessments as part of classroom-based performance assessments.

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SECTION
2
.
�
Section 302A-321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

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"
[
[
]�302A-321[
]
]
�
Standards-based curriculum.

�
(a)
�

When developing a standards-based curriculum and implementing it in a
school or complex, at [
the
] minimum, the curriculum shall:

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(1)
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Be specific in its standards-based scope and
sequence over a school year for each grade level and course;

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(2)
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Be consistent in course content;

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(3)
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Be aligned across all grade levels;

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(4)
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Specifically address the state content and
performance standards and related benchmark maps; and

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(5)
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Be implemented in all appropriate classrooms
in the school or complex.

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(b)
�
School complexes may choose to develop an
articulated and aligned K-12 standards-based curriculum in one or more of the
following core content areas:

����
(1)
�
Language arts;

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(2)
�
Mathematics;

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(3)
�
Science; and

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(4)
�
Social studies.

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(c)
�
School complexes shall provide professional
development.

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(d)
�
School complexes that develop a
standards-based curriculum shall use standards-based formative assessment tools
to monitor student progress, [
not
]
no
less than on a quarterly
basis throughout the school year.

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(e)
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School complexes shall develop rigorous
classroom-based performance assessments[
.
]
, which may include
authentic assessments.

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(f)
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School complexes may implement software
programs at the school level to help to align school course material with
Hawaii content and performance and federal educational standards.

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(g)
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For the purposes of this section,
"authentic assessment" means an evaluation of student performance
that involves multiple forms of measurement other than standardized testing and
that connects instructional content to real-world problem solving, including
project-based learning and problem-based learning.
"

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SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

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SECTION 4.
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This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Education;
Public Schools; Complexes; Curriculum; Authentic Assessments

Description:

Authorizes
public school complexes to use authentic assessments as part of classroom-based
performance assessments.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.