5306-S2.E AMH ED H2343.1

 

 

 

E2SSB 5306 - H COMM AMD

By Committee on Education

 

                                                                   

 

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

 

    "NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that the educational needs of our students have increased dramatically in the past several decades.  If our young people, families, communities, and nation are to prosper, it is imperative that the achievement of our students in public K-12 schools be significantly increased.

    To increase student achievement, the legislature finds that the state of Washington needs to develop a public school education system that focuses more on the educational performance of our students, and less on complying with state laws that dictate how instruction must be offered.

    The legislature further finds that improving the state's public schools will require:

    (1) Greater involvement of parents in the education of their children, and allowing parents to play a significantly greater role in local school decision making;

    (2) Students being held more accountable for their performance and for meeting higher expectations;

    (3) Additional time and resources for educators to collaboratively develop and implement strategies for improved student learning;

    (4) Making instructional programs more relevant to students' future plans;

    (5) All parties responsible for education focus more on what is best for students; and

    (6) An educational environment that fosters mutually respectful interactions in an atmosphere of collaboration and cooperation, and in which students develop awareness, understanding, and sensitivity to differences among people, including but not limited to race, gender, color, national origin, and religion.

    The legislature further finds that students will learn more when parents take more responsibility for their child's education, when businesses assume greater responsibility for supporting schools, when educators take responsibility for meeting the diverse educational needs of all students, and when students take more responsibility for their own learning.

    It is the intent of the legislature that any student who is having difficulty meeting the essential academic learning requirements in RCW 28A.630.885 be provided alternative or additional instructional opportunities to help him or her meet the requirements.  It is also the intent of the legislature that highly capable students who have met or exceeded the essential academic learning requirements be provided with alternative or additional instructional opportunities to help advance their educational experience.

    The provisions of this act shall not be construed to change current state requirements for students who receive home-based instruction pursuant to chapter 28A.200 RCW.

 

                              PART I

                      STUDENT LEARNING GOALS

 

    Sec. 101.  RCW 28A.150.210 and 1992 c 141 s 501 are each amended to read as follows:

    The goal of the Basic Education Act for the schools of the state of Washington set forth in this chapter shall be to ((provide students with the opportunity to master the essential academic learning requirements necessary for their roles as citizens and potential participants in the economic marketplace and in the marketplace of ideas identified by the commission established in RCW 28A.630.885)) enable people to be responsible citizens, to contribute to their own economic well-being and to that of their families and communities, and to enjoy productive and satisfying lives.  To these ends, each school district, with the involvement of parents and community members, shall provide opportunities for all students to develop the knowledge and skills essential to:

    (1) Read with comprehension, write with skill, and communicate effectively and responsibly in a variety of ways and settings;

    (2) Know and apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics; social, physical, and life sciences; history; geography; arts; and health and fitness;

    (3) Think analytically, logically, and creatively, and integrate experience and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems;

    (4) Understand the importance of work and how performance and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities; and

    (5) Function as responsible individuals and contributing members of families, work groups, and communities.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 102.  Section 101 of this act shall take effect September 1, 1998.  However, section 101 of this act shall not take effect if, by September 1, 1998, a law is enacted stating that a school accountability and academic assessment system is not in place.

 

                              PART II

                  COMMISSION ON STUDENT LEARNING

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 201.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.630 RCW to read as follows:

    Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 28A.630.885.

    (1) "Commission" means the commission on student learning created in RCW 28A.630.885.

    (2) "Student learning goals" mean the goals established in RCW 28A.150.210.

    (3) "Essential academic learning requirements" means more specific academic and technical skills and knowledge that must be learned by students.  The essential academic learning requirements shall be determined in accordance with RCW 28A.630.885.

    (4) "Performance standards" or "standards" means the criteria used to determine if a student has successfully learned the specific knowledge or skill being assessed. The performance standards shall be determined in accordance with RCW 28A.630.885.

    (5) "Assessment system" or "student assessment system" means a series of assessments used to determine if students have successfully learned the essential academic learning requirements.  The assessment system shall be developed in accordance with RCW 28A.630.885.

    (6) "Performance-based education system" means an education system in which a significantly greater emphasis is placed on how well students are learning, and significantly less emphasis on the compliance by schools of state-level accountability laws and rules that dictate how instruction is to be provided.  The performance-based education system does not require that schools use an outcome-based instructional model.  Decisions regarding how instruction is provided are to be made, to the greatest extent possible, by schools and school districts, not by the state.

 

    Sec. 202.  RCW 28A.630.885 and 1992 c 141 s 202 are each amended to read as follows:

    (((2))) (1) The Washington commission on student learning is hereby established.  The primary purposes of the commission are to identify ((what)) the knowledge and skills all public school students need to know and be able to do based on the student learning goals ((of the governor's council on education reform and funding)) in RCW 28A.150.210, to develop student assessment and school accountability systems, and to take other steps necessary to develop a performance-based education system.  The commission shall include three members of the state board of education, three members appointed by the governor before July 1, 1992, and ((three)) five members appointed no later than ((February)) July 1, 1993, by the governor elected in the November 1992 election.  The governor shall appoint a chair from the commission members, and fill any vacancies in gubernatorial appointments that may occur.  The state board of education shall fill any vacancies in state board of education appointments that may occur.  In making the appointments, educators, business leaders, and parents shall be represented, and nominations from state-wide education, business, and parent organizations shall be requested.  Efforts shall be made to ensure that the commission reflects the cultural diversity of the state's K-12 student population and that the major geographic regions in the state are represented.  Appointees shall be qualified individuals who are supportive of ((educational restructuring)) improving education for all children, who have a positive record of service, and who will devote sufficient time to the responsibilities of the commission to ensure that the objectives of the commission are achieved.

    (((3) The commission shall begin its substantive work subject to subsection (1) of this section.

    (4))) (2) The commission shall establish ((technical)) advisory committees.  Membership  of the ((technical)) advisory committees shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, professionals from the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the state board of education, and other state and local educational practitioners and student assessment specialists.

    (((5))) (3) The commission, with the assistance of the ((technical)) advisory committees, shall:

    (a) ((Identify what all elementary and secondary students need to know and be able to do.  At a minimum, these)) Develop essential academic learning requirements ((shall include reading, writing, speaking, science, history, geography, mathemat­ics, and critical thinking.  In developing these essential academic learning requirements, the commission shall incorporate)) based on the student learning goals ((identified by the council on education reform and funding)) in RCW 28A.150.210.  The essential academic learning requirements are more specific skills and knowledge that students are expected to have learned at designated stages of their education.  Essential academic learning requirements shall be developed, to the extent possible, for each of the student learning goals in RCW 28A.150.210.  Proposed essential academic learning requirements for RCW 28A.150.210(1), goal one, and the mathematics component of RCW 28A.150.210(2), goal two, shall be completed no later than September 1, 1994.  Proposed essential academic learning requirements that incorporate the remainder of RCW 28A.150.210 (2), (3), and (4), goals two, three, and four, shall be completed no later than September 1, 1995.  Essential academic learning requirements for RCW 28A.150.210(5), goal five, shall be completed no later than September 1, 1996.  To the maximum extent possible, the commission shall integrate goal four and the knowledge and skill areas in the other four goals in the development of the essential academic learning requirements;

    (b) ((By December 1, 1995,)) Present to the state board of education and superintendent of public instruction a state-wide academic assessment system for use in the elementary ((grades)), middle, and high school years designed to determine if each student has mastered the essential academic learning requirements identified in (a) of this subsection.  The academic assessment system shall include a variety of ((methodologies)) assessment methods, including performance-based measures that are criterion-referenced, and shall include assessments developed, administered, or evaluated by both the commission and local school districts.  Performance standards for determining if a student has successfully completed an assessment shall be determined by the commission in consultation with the advisory committees required in subsection (2) of this section.  The assessment system shall be designed so that the results under the assessment system are used by educators as tools to evaluate instructional practices, and to initiate appropriate educational support for students who do not master the essential academic learning requirements.  ((Mastery of each component of the essential academic learning requirements)) After a determination by the state board of education that the assessment system has been implemented and that it is sufficiently reliable and valid, successful completion of the assessment by students shall be ((required before students progress in subsequent components of the essential academic learning requirements.  The state board of education and superintendent of public instruction shall implement the elementary academic assessment system beginning in the 1996-97 school year, unless the legislature takes action to delay or prevent implementation of the assessment system and essential academic learning requirements)) reviewed by school districts for purposes of assessing the adequacy of its curriculum and teaching methods in educating students in the essential academic learning requirements.  Assessments measuring the essential academic learning requirements developed for RCW 28A.150.210(1), goal one, and the mathematics component of RCW 28A.150.210(2), goal two, shall be initially implemented by the state board of education and superintendent of public instruction no later than the 1996-97 school year, unless the legislature takes action to delay or prevent implementation of the assessment system and essential academic learning requirements.  Assessments measuring the essential academic learning requirements developed for RCW 28A.150.210 (2), (3), and (4), goals two, three, and four, shall be initially implemented by the state board of education and superintendent of public instruction no later than the 1997-98 school year, unless the legislature takes action to delay or prevent implementation of the assessment system and essential academic learning requirements.  Prior to beginning the development of assessments for RCW 28A.150.210(5), goal five, the commission shall submit a report to the legislature on the feasibility of developing assessments for this goal.  The report shall be submitted by December 1, 1996.  To the maximum extent possible, the commission shall integrate knowledge and skill areas in development of the assessments.  The state board of education and superintendent of public instruction may modify the academic assessment system, as needed, in subsequent school years;

    (c) ((By December 1, 1996, present to the state board of education and superintendent of public instruction a state-wide academic assessment system for use in the secondary grades designed to determine if each student has mastered the essential academic learning requirements identified for secondary students in (a) of this subsection.  The academic assessment system shall use a variety of methodologies, including performance-based measures, to determine if students have mastered the essential academic learning requirements, and)) The high school assessments shall be administered to students by about the age of sixteen.  After a determination is made by the state board of education that the assessment has been implemented and that it is sufficiently reliable and valid, successful completion of the high school assessment shall lead to a certificate of mastery.  The certificate of mastery shall be required for graduation.  ((The assessment system shall be designed  so that the results are used by educators to evaluate instructional practices, and to initiate appropriate educational support for students who do not master the essential academic learning requirements.))  The commission shall ((recommend)) make recommendations to the state board of education ((whether the certificate of mastery should take the place of the graduation requirements or be required for graduation in addition to graduation requirements.  The state board of education and superintendent of public instruction shall implement the secondary academic assessment system beginning in the 1997-98 school year, unless the legislature takes action to delay or prevent implementation of the assessment system and essential academic learning requirements.  The state board of education and superintendent of public instruction may modify the assessment system, as needed, in subsequent school years)) regarding the relationship between the certificate of mastery and high school graduation requirements.  However, the certificate of mastery is not intended to be the sole criterion for graduation.  Upon achieving the certificate of mastery, all students shall continue to pursue career and educational objectives through educational pathways that emphasize integration of academic and vocational education.  Educational pathways may include, but are not limited to, work-based learning, school-to-work transition, tech prep, vocational-technical education, running start, and preparation for technical college, community college, and/or university education;

    (d) Prepare and distribute information designed to inform teachers, other educators, and parents of the essential academic learning requirements;

    (e) Consider methods to address the unique needs of special education students when developing the assessments in (b) and (c) of this subsection;

    (((e) Develop strategies that will assist educators in helping students master the essential academic learning requirements;

    (f) Establish a center the primary role of which is to plan, implement, and evaluate a high quality professional development process.  The quality schools center shall:  Have an advisory council composed of educators, parents, and community and business leaders; use best practices research regarding instruction, management, curriculum development, and assessment; coordinate its activities with the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the state board of education; employ and contract with individuals who have a commit­ment to quality reform; prepare a six-year plan to be updated every two years; and be able to accept resources and funding from private and public sources;

    (g) Develop recommendations for the repeal or amendment of federal, state, and local laws, rules, budgetary language, regulations, and other factors that inhibit schools from adopting strategies designed to help students achieve the essential academic learning requirements;

    (h))) (f) Develop ((recommendations on the time, support, and resources, including technical assistance, needed by schools and school districts to help students achieve the essential academic learning requirements.  These recommendations shall include)) an estimate for the legislature, superintendent of public instruction, and governor on the expected cost of implementing the elementary and secondary academic assessment systems during the 1995-97 biennium and beyond;

    (((i))) (g) Develop recommendations for consideration by the higher education coordinating board for adopting college and university entrance requirements that ((would assist schools in adopting strategies designed to help students achieve the essential learning requirements)) are consistent with the essential academic learning requirements and the certificate of mastery;

    (((j))) (h) By December 1, 1996, recommend to the legislature, governor, state board of education, and superintendent of public instruction:  (i) A state-wide accountability system to evaluate accurately and fairly the level of learning occurring in individual schools and school districts.  ((The commission also shall recommend to the legislature steps that should be taken to assist school districts and schools in which learning is significantly below expected levels of performance as measured by the academic assessment systems established under this section)) The accountability system shall be designed so that it can monitor the performance of students and school districts based on the gender and racial, ethnic, economic, and special need status of students, and shall include new school-site, school district, and state-level accountability reporting systems.  The commission is authorized to collect baseline and other data from school districts for the purposes of the school-site and school district reports; (ii) a school assistance program to help schools and districts that are having difficulty helping students meet the essential academic learning requirements; (iii) a system to intervene in districts or schools in which significant numbers of students dramatically and persistently fail to learn the essential academic learning requirements; and (iv) an awards program to provide incentives to school staff to help their students learn the essential academic learning requirements, with each school being assessed individually against its own baseline.  Incentives shall be based on the rate of percentage change of students achieving the essential academic learning requirements, and school staff shall determine how the awards will be spent.

     It is the intent of the legislature to begin implementation of these programs on September 1, 1998;

    (((k))) (i) Report annually by December 1st to the legislature, the governor, the superintendent of public instruction, and the state board of education on the progress, findings, and recommendations of the commission; and

    (((l) Complete other tasks, as appropriate)) (j) Make recommendations to the legislature and take other actions necessary or desirable to help meet the student learning goals.

    (((6))) (4) The commission shall coordinate its activities with the state board of education and the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

    (((7))) (5) The commission shall seek advice broadly from the public and all interested educational organizations in the conduct of its work, including holding periodic regional public hearings.

    (((8))) (6) The commission shall select an entity to provide staff support and the office of ((financial management)) the superintendent of public instruction shall ((contract with that entity)) provide administrative oversight and be the fiscal agent for the commission.  The commission may direct the office of ((financial management)) the superintendent of public instruction to enter into subcontracts with school districts, teachers, higher education faculty, state agencies, business organizations, and other individuals and organizations to assist the commission in its deliberations.

    (((9))) (7) Members of the commission shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

 

                             PART III

                  EDUCATION RESTRUCTURING GRANTS

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 301.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) From appropriated funds, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide education restructuring grants to eligible school districts for the final months of the 1993-94 school year and the 1994-95 school year.  The purpose of the grants is to develop and implement strategic restructuring plans that include school-based strategies and programs designed to improve student learning for all students, including students with unique and diverse needs, consistent with the student learning goals in RCW 28A.150.210.  Funds from the program shall be used for nonstudent days for staff, for participation in the advisory committees of the commission on student learning established in RCW 28A.630.885, and for other actions and activities intended to achieve the purposes of the grant program.

    (2) To be eligible for education restructuring grants, districts shall submit an application to the superintendent of public instruction by January 15, 1994.  The application shall include the following:

    (a) Either a completed district-wide restructuring plan, or the process to be used to develop or complete a district-wide restructuring plan.  Restructuring plans shall include actions the district has taken, or will take, to implement a process to ensure continuous improvement in the quality of instruction, and a process for sharing instructional decisions with building staff, parents, and community members;

    (b) Proposed activities and actions to be funded by the grant;

    (c) How parents, business leaders, and other community members will be involved; and

    (d) A proposed budget.

    (3) If the requirements of subsection (2) of this section are met, the superintendent of public instruction shall approve the district's application by March 1, 1994.

    (4) The amount of district grants shall be determined by the average number of full-time equivalent certificated and classified staff employed by the district during the 1992-93 school year.  The allocations shall be figured on two hundred dollars per day multiplied by up to five days for each certificated staff person, and one hundred twenty-five dollars per day multiplied by five days for each classified staff person.

    (5) Schools receiving schools for the twenty-first century grants pursuant to RCW 28A.630.100 for the 1994-95 school year shall not be eligible to receive restructuring grants.

    (6) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules as necessary under chapter 34.05 RCW to administer the program.  A copy of the proposed rules shall be submitted to the joint select committee on education restructuring established in section 1001 of this act at least forty-five days prior to adoption of the rules.

    (7) Funding under this section shall not become a part of the state's basic program of education obligation as set forth under Article IX of the state Constitution.

    (8) If specific funding for education restructuring grants, referencing this act by bill number and specifying that the funding is for education restructuring grants, is not provided by June 30, 1993,  in the omnibus appropriation act, this section is null and void.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 302.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) From appropriated funds, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide education restructuring grants to eligible local districts for the 1995-96 and 1996-97 school years.  The purpose of the grants is to implement strategic restructuring plans that include school-based strategies and programs designed to improve student learning for all students, including students with unique and diverse needs, consistent with the student learning goals in RCW 28A.150.210.  Funds from the program shall be used for nonstudent days for staff, for participation in the advisory committees of the commission on student learning established in RCW 28A.630.885, and for other actions and activities intended to achieve the purposes of the grant program.

    (2) To be eligible for education restructuring grants, school districts shall submit an application to the superintendent of public instruction by March 15, 1995.  The application shall include the following:

    (a) A district-wide strategic restructuring plan that includes, but is not limited to, actions the district has taken to implement a process to ensure continuous improvement in the quality of instruction, and a process for sharing instructional decisions with building staff, parents, and community members;

    (b) Proposed activities and actions to be funded by the grant;

    (c) How parents, business leaders, and other community members will be involved; and

    (d) A proposed budget.

    (3) If the requirements of subsection (2) of this section are met, the superintendent of public instruction shall approve the district's application by May 15, 1995, for the 1995-96 and 1996-97 school years.

    (4) The amount of district grants shall be determined by the average number of full-time equivalent certificated and classified staff employed by the district during the 1993-94 school year.  The annual allocations shall be figured on two hundred dollars per day multiplied by up to ten days for each certificated staff person, and one hundred twenty-five dollars per day multiplied by ten days for each classified staff person.

    (5) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules as necessary under chapter 34.05 RCW to administer the grant program.  A copy of the proposed rules shall be submitted to the joint select committee on education restructuring established in section 1001 of this act at least forty-five days prior to adoption of the rules.

    (6) By December 15, 1996, the superintendent of public instruction shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature that summarizes the effectiveness of the grant program, and includes a recommendation as to whether or not the program should be continued in the 1997-98 school year and beyond.

    (7) Funding under this section shall not become a part of the state's basic program of education obligation as set forth under Article IX of the state Constitution.

    (8) If specific funding for education restructuring grants, referencing this act by bill number and specifying that the funding is for education restructuring grants, is not provided by June 30, 1995, in the omnibus appropriation act for the 1995-97 biennium, this section is null and void.

 

                              PART IV

             EDUCATOR TRAINING AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

 

    Sec. 401.  RCW 28A.415.250 and 1991 c 116 s 19 are each amended to read as follows:

    The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to establish and operate a teacher assistance program.  For the purposes of this section, the terms "mentor teachers," "beginning teachers," and "experienced teachers" may include any person possessing any one of the various certificates issued by the superintendent of public instruction under RCW 28A.410.010.  The program shall provide for:

    (1) Assistance by mentor teachers who will provide a source of continuing and sustained support to beginning teachers, or experienced teachers, or both, both in and outside the classroom.  A mentor teacher may not be involved in evaluations under RCW 28A.405.100 of a teacher who receives assistance from said mentor teacher under the teacher assistance program established under this section.  The mentor teachers shall also periodically inform their principals respecting the contents of training sessions and other program activities;

    (2) Stipends for mentor teachers and beginning teachers which shall not be deemed compensation for the purposes of salary lid compliance under RCW 28A.58.095:  PROVIDED, That stipends shall not be subject to the continuing contract provisions of this title;

    (3) Workshops for the training of mentor and beginning teachers;

    (4) The use of substitutes to give mentor teachers, beginning teachers, and experienced teachers opportunities to jointly observe and evaluate teaching situations and to give mentor teachers opportunities to observe and assist beginning and experienced teachers in the classroom;

    (5) Mentor teachers who are superior teachers based on their evaluations, pursuant to RCW 28A.405.010 through 28A.405.240, and who hold valid continuing certificates;

    (6) Mentor teachers for experienced teachers who are having difficulties;

    (7) Mentor teachers shall be selected by the district and may serve as mentors full time.  If a bargaining unit, certified pursuant to RCW 41.59.090 exists within the district, classroom teachers representing the bargaining unit shall participate in the mentor teacher selection process; and

    (((7))) (8) Periodic consultation by the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee with representatives of educational organizations and associations, including educational service districts and public and private institutions of higher education, for the purposes of improving communication and cooperation and program review.

 

    Sec. 402.  RCW 28A.405.140 and 1990 c 33 s 387 are each amended to read as follows:

    After an evaluation conducted pursuant to RCW 28A.405.100, the ((school district)) principal or the evaluator may require the teacher to take in-service training provided by the district in the area of teaching skills needing improvement, and may require the teacher to have a mentor for purposes of achieving such improvement.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 403.  The superintendent of public instruction shall, by December 1, 1995, develop recommendations for an expanded teacher assistance program that would use, to the extent feasible, full-time, year-round mentors.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 404.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.405 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The Washington state principal internship support program is hereby created.  The purpose of the program is to provide funds to school districts to hire substitutes for district employees who are in a principal preparation program to complete an internship with a mentor principal.

    (2) The process for selecting participants in the principal internship support program shall be as follows:

    (a) The candidate shall be enrolled in a state board‑approved school principal preparation program;

    (b) The candidate shall apply in writing to his or her local school district;

    (c) Each school district shall determine which applicants meet its criteria for participation in the principal internship support program and shall notify its educational service district of the school district's selected applicants.  When submitting the names of applicants, the school district shall identify a mentor principal for each principal intern applicant, and shall agree to provide the internship applicant at least forty-five student days of release time for the internship; and

    (d) Educational service districts, with the assistance of an advisory board, shall select internship participants.

    (3)(a) Beginning in the 1994-95 school year, a maximum of one hundred seventy-five principal internships shall be funded annually.

    (b) The maximum amount of state funding for each internship shall be four thousand five hundred dollars.

    (c) Funds appropriated for the principal internship support program shall be allocated by the superintendent of public instruction to the educational service districts based on the percentage of full-time equivalent public school students enrolled in school districts in each educational service district.  To the extent practicable, participants should be selected to reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the student population in the educational service district region and represent an equal number of women and men.

    (d) Once principal internship participants have been selected, the educational service districts shall allocate the funds to the appropriate school districts.  The funds shall be used to pay for replacement substitute staff while the school district employee is completing the principal internship.

    (e) Educational service districts may be reimbursed for costs associated with implementing the program.  Reimbursement rates shall be determined by the superintendent of public instruction.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 405.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.405 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The Washington state superintendent and program administrator internship support program is hereby created.  The purpose of the program is to provide funds to school districts to hire substitutes for district employees who are in a superintendent or program administrator preparation program to complete an internship with a mentor administrator.

    (2) The process for selecting participants in the superintendent and program administrator internship support program shall be as follows:

    (a) The candidate shall be enrolled in a state board-approved school district superintendent or program administrator preparation program;

    (b) The candidate shall apply in writing to his or her local school district;

    (c) Each school district shall determine which applicants meet its criteria for participation in the internship support program and shall notify its educational service district of the school district's selected applicants.  When submitting the names of applicants, the school district shall identify a mentor administrator for each intern applicant and shall agree to provide the internship applicant  at least forty-five student days of release time for the internship; and

    (d) Educational service districts, with the assistance of an advisory board, shall select internship participants.

    (3)(a) Beginning in the 1994-95 school year, a maximum of twenty-five internships shall be funded annually.

    (b) The maximum amount of state funding for each internship shall be four thousand five hundred dollars.

    (c) Funds appropriated for the internship support program shall be allocated by the superintendent of public instruction to the educational service districts based on the percentage of full-time equivalent public school students enrolled in school districts in each educational service district.  To the extent practicable, participants should be selected to reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the student population in the educational service district region, and represent an equal number of women and men.

    (d) Once internship participants have been selected, the educational service districts shall allocate the funds to the appropriate school districts.  The funds shall be used to pay for replacement substitute staff while the school district employee is completing the internship.

    (e) Educational service districts may be reimbursed for costs associated with implementing the program.  Reimbursement rates shall be determined by the superintendent of public instruction.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 406.  (1) The state board of education shall appoint an administrator internship advisory task force to develop and recommend to the board standards for the principal and superintendent and program administrator support programs created in sections 404 and 405 of this act.  Interns shall be required to complete the state board standards in order to successfully complete the internship program.  These standards shall be adopted by the state board of education before the allocation of funds by the superintendent of public instruction pursuant to sections 404(3)(c) and 405(3)(c) of this act.  Colleges, universities, and school districts may establish additional standards.

    (2) Task force membership shall include, but not be limited to, representatives of the office of the superintendent of public instruction, principals, superintendents, program administrators, teachers, school directors, parents, higher education administrative preparation programs, and educational service districts.  The task force membership shall, to the extent possible, be culturally diverse.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 407.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

    The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules as necessary under chapter 34.05 RCW to administer the principal and superintendent and program administrator internship support programs.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 408.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The paraprofessional training program is created.  The primary purpose of the program is to provide training for classroom assistants to assist them in helping students achieve the essential academic learning requirements pursuant to RCW 28A.630.885.  Another purpose of the program is to provide training to certificated personnel who work with classroom assistants.

    (2) The superintendent of public instruction may allocate funds, from moneys appropriated for this program, to educational service districts, school districts, and other organizations for providing the training in subsection (1) of this section.

 

                              PART V

          CENTER FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 501.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The Washington center for the improvement of student learning is created in the office of the superintendent of public instruction.  The primary purpose of the center is to provide assistance and advice to parents, school board members, educators, and the public regarding strategies for assisting students to learn the essential academic learning requirements as in RCW 28A.630.885.  The center shall work in conjunction with the commission on student learning, educational service districts, and institutions of higher education.

    (2) The center shall: 

    (a) Serve as a clearinghouse for information regarding successful educational restructuring and parental involvement programs in schools and districts;

    (b) Provide best practices research and advice that can be used to help schools and districts develop and implement:

    (i) Strategic restructuring plans;

    (ii) Building-based shared decision-making models;

    (iii) Academic and technical integration programs;

    (iv) Programs to meet the diverse needs of students based on gender, racial, ethnic, economic, and special needs status; and

    (v) Other programs that will assist educators in helping students learn the essential academic learning;

    (c) Develop and distribute, in conjunction with the commission on student learning, parental involvement materials, including instructional guides developed to inform parents of the essential academic learning requirements.  The instructional guides also shall provide actions parents may take to assist their children in meeting the requirements;

    (d) Take other actions to increase public awareness of the importance of parental involvement in education;

    (e) By December 1994, develop alternatives for grade designations in elementary schools;

    (f) Provide training and consultation services;

    (g) Coordinate with the commission on student learning established in RCW 28A.630.885; and

    (h) Perform other functions consistent with the purpose of the center as prescribed in subsection (1) of this section.

    (3) The center shall have an eleven-member advisory committee composed of educators, including teachers, principals, classified staff, higher education faculty or deans or directors of educator preparation programs, and educational service district representatives; school board members; parents; students; and labor and business leaders.  Advisory committee members shall be selected jointly by the superintendent of public instruction and the commission on student learning from recommendations submitted by individuals and appropriate state-wide organizations. The advisory council shall provide recommendations to the superintendent regarding staffing, allocation of expenditures, and other policy matters of the center.

    (4) The superintendent may enter into contracts with school districts, teachers, higher education faculty, institutions of higher education, state agencies, business organizations, and other individuals and organizations to accomplish the duties and responsibilities of the center.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 502.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The center for the improvement of student learning fund is hereby established in the custody of the state treasurer.  The superintendent of public instruction shall deposit in the fund all moneys received from gifts, grants, or endowments for the center.  Moneys in the fund may be spent only for activities of the center.  Disbursements from the fund shall be on authorization of the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee.  The fund is subject to the allotment procedure provided under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for disbursements.

    (2) The superintendent of public instruction may receive such gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources as may be made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the purposes of the superintendent of public instruction and expend the same or any income therefrom according to the terms of the gifts, grants, or endowments.

 

                              PART VI

                    SCHOOL-TO-WORK TRANSITIONS

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 601.  (1) The legislature finds that demonstrated relevancy and practical application of school work is essential to improving student learning and to increasing the ability of students to transition successfully to the world of work.  Employers have an increasing need for highly skilled people whether they are graduating from high school, a community college, a four-year university, or a technical college.

    (2) The legislature further finds that the school experience must prepare students to make informed career direction decisions at appropriate intervals in their educational progress.  The elimination of rigid tracking into educational programs will increase students' posthigh school options and will expose students to a broad range of interrelated career and educational opportunities.

    (3) The legislature further finds that student motivation and performance can be greatly increased by the demonstration of practical application of course work content and its relevancy to potential career directions.

    (4) The legislature further finds that secondary schools should provide students with multiple, flexible educational pathways.  Each educational pathway should:

    (a) Prepare students to demonstrate both core competencies common for all students and competencies in a career or interest area;

    (b) Integrate academic and vocational education into a single curriculum; and

    (c) Provide both classroom and workplace experience.

    (5) The purpose of RCW 28A.630.862 through 28A.630.880 and section 611 of this act is to equip students with improved school-to-work transition opportunities through the establishment of school-to-work transition model projects throughout the state.

 

    Sec. 602.  RCW 28A.630.862 and 1992 c 137 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    There is established in the office of the superintendent of public instruction ((an academic and vocational integration development)) a school-to-work transitions program which shall fund and coordinate ((pilot)) projects to develop model secondary school ((projects)) programs.  The projects shall combine academic and vocational education into a single instructional system that is responsive to the educational needs of all students in secondary schools and shall provide multiple educational pathway options for all secondary students.  Goals of the projects within the program shall include at a minimum:

    (1) Integration of vocational and academic instructional curriculum into a single curriculum;

    (2) Providing each student with a choice of multiple, flexible educational pathways based on the student's career or interest area;

    (3) Emphasis on increased vocational((, personal,)) and academic guidance and counseling for students as an essential component of the student's high school experience;

    (((3))) (4) Development of student essential academic learning requirements, methods of accurately measuring student performance, and goals for improved student learning;

    (5) Partnership with local employers and employees to incorporate work sites as part of work-based learning experiences;

    (6) Active participation of educators in the planning, implementation, and operation of the project, including increased opportunities for professional development and in-service training; and

    (((4))) (7) Active participation by employers, private and public community service providers, parents, and community members in the development and operation of the project.

 

    Sec. 603.  RCW 28A.630.864 and 1992 c 137 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall develop a process for schools or school districts to apply to participate in the ((academic and vocational integration development)) school-to-work transitions program.  The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall review and select projects for grant awards, and monitor and evaluate the ((academic and vocational integration development)) program.

    (2) The superintendent of public instruction, in selecting projects for grant awards, shall give additional consideration to schools or school districts whose proposals include collaboration with middle schools or junior high schools to develop school-to-work transition objectives.  Middle school or junior high school programs may include career awareness and exploration, preparation for school-to-school transition, and preparation for educational pathway decisions.

    (3) The superintendent of public instruction, in selecting projects for grant awards, shall give additional consideration to schools or school districts whose proposals include a tech prep site selected under P.L. 101-392 or other articulation agreements with a community or technical college.

    (4) The superintendent of public instruction, in selecting projects for grant awards, shall give additional consideration to schools or school districts whose proposals include the following elements:  Paid student employment in an occupational area with growing labor market demand, instruction on the job from a mentor, demonstration of competency standards for program completion, and a contract to be signed by the participating student, the student's parent or legal guardian, the participating employer, and an education representative.

    (5) The superintendent of public instruction and the state board of education may develop a process for teacher preparation programs to apply to participate in the school-to-work transitions program.  The office of the superintendent of public instruction and the state board of education may review and select projects for grant awards.  Teacher preparation grants shall be used to improve teacher preparation in school-to-work transitions, including course work related to integrated curriculum, tech prep concepts, updating technical skills, improving school and private sector partnerships, and assessing students.

 

    Sec. 604.  RCW 28A.630.866 and 1992 c 137 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    The superintendent of public instruction shall appoint a ten-member task force on ((academic and vocational integration)) school-to-work transitions.  The task force shall include at least one representative from the work force training and education coordinating board and the state board for community and technical colleges.  The task force shall advise the superintendent of public instruction in the development of the process for applying to participate in the ((academic and vocational integration development)) school-to-work transitions program, in the review and selection of projects under RCW 28A.630.864, and the monitoring and evaluation of the projects.

 

    Sec. 605.  RCW 28A.630.868 and 1992 c 137 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall administer RCW 28A.630.860 through RCW 28A.630.880.

    (2) The ((academic and vocational integration development)) school-to-work transitions projects may be conducted for up to six years, if funds are provided.

 

    Sec. 606.  RCW 28A.630.870 and 1992 c 137 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1)  The superintendent of public instruction may accept, receive, and administer for the purposes of RCW 28A.630.860 through 28A.630.880 such gifts, grants, and contributions as may be provided from public and private sources for the purposes of RCW 28A.630.860 through 28A.630.880.

    (2) The ((academic and vocational integration development)) school-to-work transitions program account is hereby established in the custody of the state treasurer.  The superintendent of public instruction shall deposit in the account all moneys received under this section.  Moneys in the account may be spent only for the purposes of 28A.630.860 through 28A.630.880.  Disbursements from this account shall be on the authorization of the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee.  The account is subject to the allotment procedure provided under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for disbursements.

 

    Sec. 607.  RCW 28A.630.874 and 1992 c 137 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The superintendent of public instruction, in coordination with the state board of education, the state board for community and technical colleges, the work force training and education coordinating board, and the higher education coordinating board, shall provide technical assistance to selected schools and shall develop a process that coordinates and facilitates linkages among participating school districts, secondary schools, junior high schools, middle schools, technical colleges, and colleges and universities.

    (2) The superintendent of public instruction and the state board of education may adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW as necessary to implement its duties under RCW 28A.630.860 through RCW 28A.630.880.

 

    Sec. 608.  RCW 28A.630.876 and 1992 c 137 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall report to the education committees of the legislature on the progress of the schools for the ((academic and vocational integration development)) school-to-work transitions program by December 15 of each odd-numbered year.

    (2) Each school district selected to participate in the academic and vocational integration development program shall submit an annual report to the superintendent of public instruction on the progress of the ((pilot)) project as a condition of receipt of continued funding.

 

    Sec. 609.  RCW 28A.630.878 and 1992 c 137 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:

    The superintendent of public instruction, through the state clearinghouse for education information, shall collect and disseminate to all school districts and other interested parties information about the ((academic and vocational integration development pilot)) school-to-work transitions projects.

 

    Sec. 610.  RCW 28A.630.880 and 1992 c 137 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

    RCW 28A.630.860 through 28A.630.880 may be known and cited as the ((academic and vocational integration development)) school-to-work transitions program.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 611.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.630 RCW to read as follows:

    Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 28A.630.862 through 28A.630.880.

    (1) "Integration of vocational and academic instruction" means an educational program that combines vocational and academic concepts into a single curriculum to increase the relevancy of course work, to strengthen and increase academic standards, and to enable students to apply knowledge and skills to career and educational objectives.

    (2) "School-to-work transition" means a restructuring effort which provides multiple learning options and seamless integrated pathways to increase all students' opportunities to pursue their career and educational interests.

    (3) "Work-based learning" means a competency-based educational experience that coordinates and integrates classroom instruction with structured, work site employment in which the student receives occupational training that advances student knowledge and skills in essential academic learning requirements.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 612.  RCW 28A.630.860 and 1992 c 137 s 1 are each repealed.

 

                             PART VII

                            TECHNOLOGY

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 701.  The legislature recognizes the ongoing necessity for public schools to use up-to-date tools for learning to meet goals for education.  To participate successfully in the contemporary workplace, students must be knowledgeable in the use of state of the art technologies and be able to access information electronically and efficiently.  Workplace technology requirements will continue to change and schools must mirror these changes.

    Furthermore, the legislature finds that the Washington systemic initiative is a broad-based effort to promote widespread public literacy in mathematics, science, and technology.  A critical component of the systemic initiative is the universal electronic access to information by students.  It is the intent of the legislature that components of sections 702 through 706 of this act will support the state-wide systemic reform effort in mathematics, science, and technology as envisioned by the Washington systemic initiative.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 702.  Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter and section 705 of this act.

    (1) "Education technology" or "technology" means the effective use of electronic and optical tools, including telephones, and electronic and optical pathways in meeting the student learning goals established in RCW 28A.150.210.

    (2) "Network" means integrated linking of education technology systems in schools for transmission of voice, data, video, or imaging, or a combination of these.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 703.  (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall develop and implement a Washington state K-12 education technology plan.  The technology plan, which shall be completed by December 15, 1993, and updated on at least an annual basis, shall be developed to coordinate and expand the use of education technology in the common schools of the state.  The plan shall be consistent with applicable provisions of chapter 43.105 RCW.  The plan, at a minimum, shall address:

    (a) The provision of technical assistance to schools and school districts for the planning, implementation, and training of staff in the use of technology in curricular and administrative functions;

    (b) The continued development of a network to connect school districts, institutions of higher learning, and other sources of on-line information; and

    (c) Methods to equitably increase the use of education technology by students and school personnel throughout the state.

    (2) The superintendent of public instruction shall appoint an educational technology advisory committee to assist in the development and implementation of the technology plan in subsection (1) of this section.  The committee shall include, but is not limited to, persons representing:  The state board of education, the commission on student learning, the department of information services, educational service districts, school directors, school administrators, school principals, teachers, classified staff, higher education faculty, parents, students, business, labor, scientists and mathematicians, the higher education coordinating board, the work force training and education coordinating board, and the state library.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 704.  In conjunction with the plan required in section 703 of this act, the superintendent of public instruction shall prepare recommendations to the legislature regarding the development of a grant program for school districts for the purchase and installation of computers, computer software, telephones, and other types of education technology.  The recommendations shall address methods to ensure equitable access to technology by students throughout the state, and methods to ensure that school districts have prepared technology implementation plans before applying for grant funds.  The recommendations, with proposed legislation, shall be submitted to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 15, 1993.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 705.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.310 RCW to read as follows:

    Educational service districts shall establish, subject to available funding, regional educational technology support centers for the purpose of providing ongoing educator training, school district cost-benefit analysis, long-range planning, network planning, distance learning access support, and other technical and programmatic support.  Each educational service district shall establish a representative advisory council to advise the educational service district in the expenditure of funds provided to the technology support centers.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 706.  The superintendent of public instruction shall distribute appropriated funds to educational service districts on a grant basis for the regional educational technology support centers established in section 705 of this act.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 707.  The superintendent of public instruction shall distribute funds to the Washington school information processing cooperative and to school districts on a grant basis, from moneys appropriated for the purposes of this section, for equipment, networking, and software to expand the current K-12 education state-wide network.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 708.  (1) The superintendent of public instruction may receive such gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources as may be made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the purposes of the superintendent of public instruction and expend the same or any income therefrom according to the terms of the gifts, grants, or endowments.

    (2) The education technology fund is hereby established in the custody of the state treasurer.  The superintendent of public instruction shall deposit in the fund all moneys received from gifts, grants, or endowments for education technology.  Moneys in the fund may be spent only for education technology.  Disbursements from the fund shall be on authorization of the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee.  The fund is subject to the allotment procedure provided under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for disbursements.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 709.  The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules as necessary under chapter 34.05 RCW governing the operation and scope of this chapter.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 710.  Sections 701 through 704 and 706 through 709 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28A RCW.

 

                             PART VIII

                  EDUCATOR PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

 

    Sec. 801.  RCW 28A.410.030 and 1991 c 116 s 21 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Effective August 31, 1995, the state board of education shall require ((a uniform state admission to practice examination for)) teacher certification candidates((.  Commencing August 31, 1993, teacher certification candidates completing a teacher preparation program shall be required)) to pass an ((admission to practice examination)) individual assessment before being granted an initial certificate.  The ((examination)) assessment shall test knowledge and competence in subjects including, but not limited to, instructional skills, classroom management, ((and)) student behavior and development((.  The examination shall consist primarily of essay questions)), oral and written language skills, student performance-based assessment skills, and other knowledge, skills, and attributes needed to be successful in assisting all students, including students with diverse and unique needs, in achieving mastery of the essential academic learning requirements established pursuant to RCW 28A.630.885.  In administering the assessment, the state board shall address the needs of certification candidates who have specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.

    (2) The state board of education shall adopt such rules as may be necessary to implement this section, including, but not limited to, rules establishing the fees assessed persons who apply to take the assessment and the circumstances, if any, under which such fees may be refunded in  whole or part.  Fee revenues received under this section shall be deposited in the teacher assessment revolving fund hereby established in the custody of the state treasurer.  The fund is subject to the allotment procedures provided under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for disbursement.  The superintendent of public instruction shall be responsible for administering the assessment program consistent with state board of education rules, and may enter into contracts for six or fewer years with public and private contracts to establish, equip, maintain, and operate the program, in whole or part.  The superintendent of public instruction shall expend moneys from the teacher  assessment revolving fund exclusively for the direct and indirect costs of establishing, equipping, maintaining, and operating the assessment program.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 802.  By August 31, 1997, the state board of education shall develop and implement a new system for approving educator preparation programs pursuant to RCW 28A.305.130(1).  The new approval system shall be based primarily on how successful the graduates of each preparation program are in passing the individual performance-based assessment in RCW 28A.410.030.

 

                              PART IX

               COORDINATED SCHOOL AND HUMAN SERVICES

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 901.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.215 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The purpose of this section is to enhance the quantity, quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of services for children and families in order to enable all children to arrive at school ready to learn throughout their educational experience.

    (2) From appropriated funds, the family policy council established in chapter 70.190 RCW shall provide grants for selected programs geographically distributed throughout the state to provide coordinated social, health, and educational services to children and families.

    (3) Coordinated educational, health, and social services shall be delivered in a manner that recognizes the need for strong and self-sufficient families and has as the ultimate goal the empowerment of parents to become the self-sufficient providers of care to their children.

    (4) In allocating funding under this section, the family policy council shall select and allocate funding to consortiums, as defined by RCW 70.190.010, for a service or services that are identified under a comprehensive plan that meets the requirements of chapter 70.190 RCW and that meets one or more of the following objectives:

    (a) Support services that recognize that every parent is the first and most essential teacher and that provide parents of newborn children with assistance to prepare their children to achieve success in school;

    (b) Strategies to ensure that children experience a safe and nurturing family environment;

    (c) Delivery of services that are culturally relevant and sensitive to the diverse nature of the community's population;

    (d) Strategies to ensure that all children have the skills, self-esteem, and support to make informed decisions about sex, drugs, alcohol, and other influences or activities that could obstruct their education and development.

    (5) The council shall ensure each of the objectives in subsection (4) of this section is included in at least one of the funded projects.

 

    Sec. 902.  RCW 70.190.005 and 1992 c 198 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    The legislature finds that a primary goal of public involvement in the lives of children has been to strengthen the family unit.

    However, the legislature recognizes that traditional two-parent families with one parent routinely at home are now in the minority.  In addition, extended family and natural community supports have eroded drastically.  The legislature recognizes that public policy assumptions must be altered to account for this new social reality.  Public effort must be redirected to expand, support, strengthen, and help refashion family and community associations to care for children.

    The legislature finds that a broad variety of services for children and families has been independently designed over the years and that the coordination and cost-effectiveness of these services will be enhanced through the adoption of a common approach to their delivery.  The legislature further finds that the most successful programs for reaching and working with at-risk families and children treat individuals' problems in the context of the family, offer a broad spectrum of services, are flexible in the use of program resources, and use staff who are trained in crossing traditional program categories in order to broker services necessary to fully meet a family's needs.

    The legislature further finds that eligibility criteria, expenditure restrictions, and reporting requirements of state and federal categorical programs often create barriers toward the effective use of resources for addressing the multiple problems of at-risk families and children.

    The purposes of this chapter are (1) to modify public policy and programs to empower communities to support and respond to the needs of individual families and children ((and)), (2) to improve the responsiveness of services for children and families at risk by facilitating greater coordination and flexibility in the use of funds by state and local service agencies, and (3) to improve support services for children and families to enable all students to arrive at school ready to learn.

 

    Sec. 903.  RCW 70.190.010 and 1992 c 198 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

    (1) "Comprehensive plan" means a two-year plan that examines available resources and unmet needs for a school district, municipal, county, or multicounty area or areas, barriers that limit the effective use of resources, and a plan to address these issues that is broadly supported.

    (2) "Participating state agencies" means the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the department of social and health services, the department of health, the employment security department, the department of community development, and such other departments as may be specifically designated by the governor.

    (3) "Family policy council" or "council" means the superintendent of public instruction, the secretary of social and health services, the secretary of health, the commissioner of the employment security department, and the director of the department of community development or their designees, one legislator from each caucus of the senate and house of representatives, and one representative of the governor.

    (4) "((Outcome based)) Indicators" means defined and measurable ((outcomes and indicators that make it possible for communities to evaluate progress in meeting their goals and whether systems are fulfilling their responsibilities)) evaluative tools that assess the performance of the consortium in accomplishing the desired state and local outcomes.

    (5) "Matching funds" means an amount no less than twenty-five percent of the amount budgeted for a consortium's project.  Up to half of the consortium's matching funds may be in-kind goods and services.  Funding sources allowable for match include appropriate federal or local levy funds, fair start funds, private charitable funding, and other charitable giving.  Basic education funds shall not be used as a match.

    (6) "Consortium" means a diverse group of individuals that includes at least representatives of local service providers, service recipients, local government administering or funding children or family service programs, participating state agencies, school districts, existing children's commissions, ethnic and racial minority populations, and other interested persons organized for the purpose of designing and providing collaborative and coordinated services under this chapter.  Consortiums shall represent a county, multicounty, or municipal service area.  In addition, consortiums may represent Indian tribes applying either individually or collectively.

 

    Sec. 904.  RCW 70.190.030 and 1992 c 198 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The family policy council shall annually solicit from consortiums proposals to facilitate greater flexibility, coordination, and responsiveness of services at the community level.  The council shall consider such proposals only if:

    (a) A comprehensive plan has been prepared by the consortium; and

    (b) The consortium has identified and agreed to contribute matching funds as specified in RCW 70.190.010; and

    (c) An interagency agreement has been prepared by the family policy council and the participating local service and support agencies that governs the use of funds, specifies the relationship of the project to the principles listed in RCW 74.14A.025, and identifies specific outcomes and indicators; and

    (d) Funds are to be used to provide support or services needed to implement a family's or child's case plan that are not otherwise adequately available through existing categorical services or community programs; (([and])) and

    (e) The consortium has provided written agreements that identify a lead agency that will assume fiscal and programmatic responsibility for the project, and ((identify)) has identified participants in a consortium council with broad participation and that shall have responsibility for ensuring effective coordination of resources; and

    (f) The consortium has designed into its comprehensive plan standards for accountability.  Accountability standards include, but are not limited to, the public hearing process eliciting public comment about the appropriateness of the proposed comprehensive plan.  The consortium must submit reports to the family policy council outlining the public response regarding the appropriateness and effectiveness of the comprehensive plan.

    (2) The family policy council may submit a prioritized list of projects recommended for funding in the governor's budget document.

    (3) The participating state agencies shall identify funds to implement the proposed projects from budget requests or existing appropriations for services to children and their families.

    (4) The family policy council shall propose broad state statutory goals for successful outcomes for children and families receiving services from consortiums.  The family policy council shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature on these recommendations before December 1, 1993.  Upon adoption by the legislature of the broad state goals for successful children and family outcomes, the family policy council shall (a) develop methods to assist consortiums in establishing indicators of whether the desired outcomes are being accomplished, and (b) develop strategies to assist consortiums to achieve the state and community goals.

    (5) To the extent not inconsistent with federal law the family policy council may waive regulatory provisions related to health, mental health, protective services, and other children and family services that present barriers to meeting consortiums' outcome goals, that limit entities' abilities to collaborate effectively, and that inhibit the delivery of services to children and families.  The council shall recommend to the legislature statutory changes necessary to eliminate such barriers.

 

                              PART X

              DEREGULATION AND LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1001.  (1) There is hereby created a joint select committee on education restructuring composed of twelve members as follows:

    (a) Six members of the senate, three from each of the major caucuses, to be appointed by the president of the senate; and

    (b) Six members of the house of representatives, three from each of the major caucuses, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

    (2) The staff support shall be provided by the senate committee services and the office of program research as mutually agreed by the cochairs of the joint select committee.  The cochairs shall be designated by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate.

    (3) The expenses of the committee members shall be paid by the legislature.

    (4) The committee shall seek input from educators, business and labor leaders, parents, and others during its deliberations.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1002.  The joint select committee on education restructuring shall monitor, review, and periodically report upon the enactment and implementation of education restructuring in Washington both at the state and local level, including the following:

    (1) The progress of the commission on student learning in the completion of its tasks as designated in RCW 28A.630.885 and in any subsequent legislation relating to education restructuring;

    (2) The success of the center for improvement of student learning established under section 501 of this act;

    (3) The state board of education's implementation of new educator performance assessments required in RCW 28A.410.030, and whether such requirements as implemented are actually consistent with higher student achievement envisioned under a performance-based education system;

    (4) The number of school districts seeking waivers from basic education act requirements under RCW 28A.305.140 or other legislation, and the success of alternative programs pursued by those school districts;

    (5) The progress and success of the commission on student learning, the superintendent of public instruction, the state board of education, the higher education coordinating board, and the state board for community and technical colleges in carrying out RCW 28A.630.885(3)(g), and any subsequent legislation relating to education restructuring; and

    (6) Such other areas as the committee may deem appropriate.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1003.  In addition to the duties in section 1002 of this act, the select committee on education restructuring shall:

    (1) Review all laws pertaining to K-12 public education and to educator preparation and certification, except those that protect the health, safety, and civil rights of students and staff, with the intent of identifying laws that inhibit the achievement of the new system of performance-based education.  As a result of the review, the select committee shall, by November 15, 1994, present proposed legislation that repeals or modifies those laws that inhibit the new system of performance-based education to the appropriate committees of the legislature; and

    (2) By October 31, 1995, develop recommendations and proposed legislation, as appropriate, to create a new student performance‑based funding system to be implemented, if adopted by the legislature, beginning in the 1998-99 school year.  The funding system shall be developed to enhance the performance-based education system as outlined in chapter . . ., Laws of 1993 (this act).  It shall allow for local control and maximum flexibility, and it shall affirm the constitutional "paramount duty" of the state to provide an education for all of its children.  It shall emphasize student mastery of the student learning goals rather than input formulas, and shall be ample, flexible, stable, equitable, simple, and accountable.  The formula shall be structured to provide and encourage local flexibility, creativity, and decision making.  The formula shall support every student with varying abilities and shall ensure that every student will have equitable opportunities to achieve the essential academic learning requirements.  Special provisions shall be made for students who have more difficulty in mastering the essential academic learning requirements, and for highly capable students.  The formula shall comply with the state Constitution and federal law and funding requirements.  The formula shall reflect the state's responsibility to fully fund a basic education.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1004.  By September 1, 1994, and each September 1st thereafter, the commission on student learning, the superintendent of public instruction, the state board of education, the higher education coordinating board, and the state board for community and technical colleges shall each report to the joint select committee on education restructuring regarding their progress in completing tasks as designated in chapter . . ., Laws of 1993 (this act), and tasks in any subsequent legislation relating to education restructuring.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1005.  The joint select committee on education restructuring shall report its initial findings to the legislature by December 31, 1993, and shall annually report its findings thereafter until December 31, 1998, at which time the committee shall make its final report.

 

    Sec. 1006.  RCW 28A.225.220 and 1990 1st ex.s. c 9 s 201 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Any board of directors may make agreements with adults choosing to attend school:  PROVIDED, That unless such arrangements are approved by the state superintendent of public instruction, a reasonable tuition charge, fixed by the state superintendent of public instruction, shall be paid by such students as best may be accommodated therein.

    (2) A district is strongly encouraged to honor the request of a parent or guardian for his or her child to attend a school in another district.

    (3) A district shall release a student to a nonresident district that agrees to accept the student if:

    (a) A financial, educational, safety, or health condition affecting the student would likely be reasonably improved as a result of the transfer; or

    (b) Attendance at the school in the nonresident district is more accessible to the parent's place of work or to the location of child care; or

    (c) There is a special hardship or detrimental condition.

    (4) A district may deny the request of a resident student to transfer to a nonresident district if the release of the student would adversely affect the district's existing desegregation plan.

    (5) For the purpose of helping a district assess the quality of its education program, a resident school district may request an optional exit interview or questionnaire with the parents or guardians of a child transferring to another district.  No parent or guardian may be forced to attend such an interview or complete the questionnaire.

    (6) Beginning with the 1993-94 school year, school districts may ((establish annual)) not charge transfer fees or tuition for nonresident students enrolled under subsection (3) of this section and RCW 28A.225.225.  ((Until rules are adopted under section 202, chapter 9, Laws of 1990 1st ex. sess. for the calculation of the transfer fee, the transfer fee shall be calculated by the same formula as the fees authorized under section 10, chapter 130, Laws of 1969.  These fees, if applied, shall be applied uniformly for all such nonresident students except as provided in this section.  The superintendent of public instruction, from available funds, shall pay any transfer fees for low-income students assessed by districts under this section.  All transfer fees must be paid over to the county treasurer within thirty days of its collection for the credit of the district in which such students attend.))  Reimbursement of a high school district for cost of educating high school pupils of a nonhigh school district shall not be deemed a transfer fee as affecting the apportionment of current state school funds.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1007.  Sections 1001 through 1005 of this act are each added to chapter 28A.630 RCW.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1008.  Sections 1001 through 1005 of this act shall expire January 1, 1999.

 

                              PART XI

         PRIVATE SCHOOL AND HOME SCHOOL STUDENT EXEMPTIONS

 

    Sec. 1101.  RCW 28A.195.010 and 1992 c 141 s 505 are each amended to read as follows:

    The legislature hereby recognizes that private schools should be subject only to those minimum state controls necessary to ensure the health and safety of all the students in the state and to ensure a sufficient basic education to meet usual graduation requirements.  The state, any agency or official thereof, shall not restrict or dictate any specific educational or other programs for private schools except as hereinafter in this section provided.

    Principals of private schools or superintendents of private school districts shall file each year with the state superintendent of public instruction a statement certifying that the minimum requirements hereinafter set forth are being met, noting any deviations. After review of the statement, the state superintendent will notify schools or school districts of those deviations which must be corrected.  In case of major deviations, the school or school district may request and the state board of education may grant provisional status for one year in order that the school or school district may take action to meet the requirements.  Minimum requirements shall be as follows:

    (1) The minimum school year for instructional purposes shall consist of no less than one hundred eighty school days or the equivalent in annual minimum instructional hour offerings as prescribed in RCW 28A.150.220.

    (2) All classroom teachers shall hold appropriate Washington state certification except as follows:

    (a) Teachers for religious courses or courses for which no counterpart exists in public schools shall not be required to obtain a state certificate to teach those courses.

    (b) In exceptional cases, people of unusual competence but without certification may teach students so long as a certified person exercises general supervision.  Annual written statements shall be submitted to the office of the superintendent of public instruction reporting and explaining such circumstances.

    (3) An approved private school may operate an extension program for parents, guardians, or persons having legal custody of a child to teach children in their custody.  The extension program shall require at a minimum that:

    (a) The parent, guardian, or custodian be under the supervision of an employee of the approved private school who is certified under chapter 28A.410 RCW;

    (b) The planning by the certified person and the parent, guardian, or person having legal custody include objectives consistent with this subsection and subsections (1), (4), (5), and (6) of this section;

    (c) The certified person spend a minimum average each month of one contact hour per week with each student under his or her supervision who is enrolled in the approved private school extension program;

    (d) Each student's progress be evaluated by the certified person; and

    (e) The certified employee shall not supervise more than thirty students enrolled in the approved private school's extension program.

    (4) Appropriate measures shall be taken to safeguard all permanent records against loss or damage.

    (5) The physical facilities of the school or district shall be adequate to meet the program offered by the school or district:  PROVIDED, That each school building shall meet reasonable health and fire safety requirements.  A residential dwelling of the parent, guardian, or custodian shall be deemed to be an adequate physical facility when a parent, guardian, or person having legal custody is instructing his or her child under subsection (3) of this section.

    (6) Private school curriculum shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in the basic skills of occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of appreciation of art and music, all in sufficient units ((so that students are able to master the essential academic learning requirements under RCW 28A.630.885 and meet)) for meeting state board of education graduation requirements.  However, the state board shall not require private school students to obtain a certificate of mastery to graduate from high school, to master the essential academic learning requirements, or to be assessed pursuant to RCW 28A.630.885.  However, private schools may choose, on a voluntary basis, to have their students master these essential academic learning requirements, take these assessments, and obtain certificates of mastery.

    (7) Each school or school district shall be required to maintain up-to-date policy statements related to the administration and operation of the school or school district.

    All decisions of policy, philosophy, selection of books, teaching material, curriculum, except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, school rules and administration, or other matters not specifically referred to in this section, shall be the responsibility of the administration and administra­tors of the particular private school involved.

 

    Sec. 1102.  RCW 28A.200.010 and 1990 c 33 s 178 are each amended to read as follows:

    Each parent whose child is receiving home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010(4) shall have the duty to:

    (1) File annually a signed declaration of intent that he or she is planning to cause his or her child to receive home-based instruction.  The statement shall include the name and age of the child, shall specify whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction, and shall be written in a format prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction.  Each parent shall file the statement by September 15 of the school year or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester with the superintendent of the public school district within which the parent resides;

    (2) Ensure that test scores or annual academic progress assessments and immunization records, together with any other records that are kept relating to the instructional and educational activities provided, are forwarded to any other public or private school to which the child transfers.  At the time of a transfer to a public school, the superintendent of the local school district in which the child enrolls may require a standardized achievement test to be administered and shall have the authority to determine the appropriate grade and course level placement of the child after consultation with parents and review of the child's records; and

    (3) Ensure that a standardized achievement test approved by the state board of education is administered annually to the child by a qualified individual or that an annual assessment of the student's academic progress is written by a certificated person who is currently working in the field of education.  The board shall not require these children to master the essential academic learning requirements, to take the assessments, or to obtain a certificate of mastery pursuant to RCW 28A.630.885.  The standardized test administered or the annual academic progress assessment written shall be made a part of the child's permanent records.  If, as a result of the annual test or assessment, it is determined that the child is not making reasonable progress consistent with his or her age or stage of development, the parent shall make a good faith effort to remedy any deficiency.

    Failure of a parent to comply with the duties in this section shall be deemed a failure of such parent's child to attend school without valid justification under RCW 28A.225.020.  Parents who do comply with the duties set forth in this section shall be presumed to be providing home-based instruction as set forth in RCW 28A.225.010(4).

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1103.  Section 1101 of this act shall take effect September 1, 1998.  However, this section shall not take effect if, by September 1, 1998, a law is enacted stating that a school accountability and academic assessment system is not in place.

 

                             PART XII

                           MISCELLANEOUS

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1201.  RCW 28A.630.884 and 1992 c 141 s 201 are each repealed.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1202.  Sections 201 and 202 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1203.  Part headings as used in this act constitute no part of the law.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1204.  If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill number, is not provided by June 30, 1993, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void."

 


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