Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Education Committee

HB 2816

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Directs the Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA) to develop a model policy and procedure for nurturing a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate that meets specified requirements and to post the policy to its website by December 1, 2020.
Requires that school districts adopt and implement a policy and procedure for promoting a positive school and classroom climate consistent with the WSSDA model policy by September 1, 2021.

Background:

Social Emotional Learning. State law provides that social emotional learning (SEL) will help students build awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and life. Legislation adopted in 2019 (i.e. Second Substitute Senate Bill 5082, enacted as chapter 386 Laws of 2019) directed the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to complete a number of activities related to SEL, for example: the OSPI must adopt SEL standards and benchmarks for students; the PESB must incorporate those SEL standards and benchmarks into principal, teacher, and paraeducator standards; and a SEL Committee must produce an annual report with accomplishments, state-level data, identification of systemic barriers or policy changes necessary to promote and expand SEL, and recommendations.

Teacher and Principal Evaluations. Classroom teachers and principals evaluations are based on specified statutory criteria. One of the criteria for teacher evaluations is fostering and managing a safe, positive learning environment. One of the criteria for principal evaluations is creating a school culture that promotes the ongoing improvement of learning and teaching for students and staff; and another is providing for school safety.

Summary of Bill:

The Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA) must develop a model policy and procedure for nurturing a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate. The goal of the policy and procedure is to support and promote school and school district action plans that create, maintain, and nurture physically, emotionally, and intellectually safe, respectful, and positive school and classroom environments that foster equitable, ethical, social, emotional, and academic education for all students.

The model policy and procedure must: (a) recognize that there is not one best way to create, maintain, and nurture a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate and consider each school's history, strengths, needs, and goals; (b) define and describe the essential elements of a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate; (c) recognize the important role that students' families play in collaborating with the school and school district in creating, maintaining, and nurturing a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate; and (d) describe a framework for an effective and informed positive social and emotional school and classroom climate improvement process that includes a continuous cycle of planning and preparation, evaluation, action planning, and implementation.

In developing the model policy and procedure, the WSSDA must: (a) consult with staff at the OSPI and school districts who have expertise in developing and implementing policies that create, maintain, and nurture positive social and emotional school and classroom climates; (b) consider the relationship between the model policy and procedure and policies related to student behaviors and student discipline; and (c) review research on, and examples of effective implementation of, restorative practices, collaborative and proactive practices, trauma-sensitive and trauma-informed practices, classroom management, and other topics related to the goal of the policy.

The model policy and procedure must be posted publicly on the WSSDA website by December 1, 2020.

School districts must adopt and implement a policy and procedure for promoting a positive school and classroom climate consistent with the WSSDA model policy by September 1, 2021.