,,ii #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #eaf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #ab1 #bjae ,mr4 ,murphy 7for himself and ,mrs4 ,murray7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife to permit alternate standards and assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,every ,child ,counts ,act 4 #b4 ,alternate standards and assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities ,section #aaaa of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #fcaa7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking ,the and inserting ,except as provided in subparagraph 7,g71 the2 and 7ii7 by adding at the end the following3 7,g7 ,alternate academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities 7i7 ,in general ,the ,state may1 through a documented and validated standards-setting process1 adopt alternate academic achievement standards in any subject included in the ,state's accountability system under paragraph 7#b7 for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities1 if such alternate academic achievement standards-- 7,i7 are aligned with the ,state challenging academic content standards and challenging student academic achievement standards2 7,,ii7 provide access to the general curriculum for the grade in which the student is enrolled2 7,,iii7 are vertically aligned to ensure that a student who achieves at the on-target or advanced level under subclause 7,,vi7 signifies that the student is on track to access a postsecondary education or achieve competitive integrated employment1 as defined under section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7,public ,law #aac-abh2 #abh ,stat4 #adbe72 7,,iv7 are supported by evidence-based learning progressions to age and grade-level performance2 7,v7 are designated in the individualized education program developed under section #fad7;d77#c7 of the ,individuals with ,disabilities ,education ,act for each such student as the academic achievement standard that will be used for the student2 and 7,,vi7 establish1 at a minimum-- 7aa7 #b levels of high achievement 7on-target and advanced7 that indicate that a student with the most significant cognitive disabilities meets or exceeds the ,state's proficient level of academic achievement under paragraph 7#b77,l7 as measured by performance on alternate assessments under paragraph 7#c77;,e72 and 7bb7 a third level of achievement 7catch-up7 that provides information about the progress of a student with the most significant cognitive disabilities toward meeting the ,state's proficient level of academic achievement under paragraph 7#b77,l7 as measured by performance on alternate assessments under paragraph 7#c77;,e74 7ii7 ,prohibition on any other alternate or modified standards ,a ,state shall not develop1 or implement for use1 under this part any alternate or modified academic achievement standards for students who are children with disabilities that are not alternate academic achievement standards that meet the requirements of clause 7i74 2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by adding at the end the following3 7,l7 ,students with the most significant cognitive disabilities ,in determining the percentage of students meeting or exceeding the ,state's proficient level of academic achievement on the ,state assessments1 a ,state educational agency may include1 for all schools in the ,state1 the performance of the ,state's students with the most significant cognitive disabilities on alternate assessments as described in paragraph 7#c77;,e7 in the subjects included in the ,state's accountability system1 consistent with the #a percent limitation of paragraph 7#c77;,e77i74 2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#c71 by adding at the end the following3 7,e7 ,alternate assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities ,a ,state may provide alternate assessments that are aligned with alternate academic achievement standards described in paragraph 7#a77;,g7 for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities1 if the ,state-- 7i7 ensures that for each subject1 the total number of students in each grade level assessed in such subject using the alternate assessments does not exceed #a percent of the total number of all students in such grade level in the ,state who are assessed in such subject2 7ii7 certifies1 consistent with section #fab7;a77#af77;,a7 of the ,individuals with ,disabilities ,education ,act1 that the ,state's regular academic assessments are universally designed to be accessible to students1 including students with sensory1 physical1 and intellectual disabilities1 through the provision of accommodations that produce valid results2 and 7iii7 ensures that such alternate assessments are peer reviewed and based on the best available evidence4 2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7h77#a77;,c7-- 7,a7 in clause 7vii71 by striking and after the semicolon2 7,b7 in clause 7viii71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7ix7 the number and percentage of students with disabilities who take an alternate assessment under subsection 7b77#c77;,e71 by grade1 subject1 and type of disability1 as outlined in section #fjb7c7 of the ,individuals with ,disabilities ,education ,act4 4