Z-0179.6

HOUSE BILL 1151

ByRepresentatives Volz and Pollet; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction

AN ACT Relating to modifying education reporting requirements; and amending RCW 28A.165.100, 28A.235.290, 28A.505.040, and 28A.505.080.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 28A.165.100 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 204 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Beginning with the 2014-15 school year, school districts shall record in the statewide individual student data system annual entrance and exit performance data for each student participating in the learning assistance program according to specifications established by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

(2) By August 1, 2014, and each ((August 1st))September 30th thereafter, school districts shall report to the office of the superintendent of public instruction, using a common format prepared by the office:

(a) The amount of academic growth gained by students participating in the learning assistance program;

(b) The number of students who gain at least one year of academic growth; and

(c) The specific practices, activities, and programs used by each school building that received learning assistance program funding.

(3) By January 1, 2020, and each January 1st thereafter, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall compile the school district data and report annual and longitudinal gains for the specific practices, activities, and programs used by the school districts to show which are the most effective. The data must be disaggregated by student subgroups.

Sec. 2. RCW 28A.235.290 and 2018 c 271 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop and implement a plan to increase the number of schools participating in the United States department of agriculture community eligibility provision for the 2018-19 school year and subsequent years. The office shall work jointly with community-based organizations and national experts focused on hunger and nutrition and familiar with the community eligibility provision, at least two school representatives who have successfully implemented community eligibility, and the state agency responsible for medicaid direct certification. The plan must describe how the office of the superintendent of public instruction will:

(a) Identify and recruit eligible schools to implement the community eligibility provision, with the goal of increasing the participation rate of eligible schools to at least the national average;

(b) Provide comprehensive outreach and technical assistance to school districts and schools to implement the community eligibility provision;

(c) Support breakfast after the bell programs authorized by the legislature to adopt the community eligibility provision;

(d) Work with school districts to group schools in order to maximize the number of schools implementing the community eligibility provision; and

(e) Determine the maximum percentage of students eligible for free meals where participation in the community eligibility provision provides the most support for a school, school district, or group of schools.

(2) Until June 30, 2019, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall convene the organizations working jointly on the plan monthly to report on the status of the plan and coordinate outreach and technical assistance efforts to schools and school districts.

(3) Beginning in 2018, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall report annually the number of schools that have implemented the community eligibility provision to the legislature by ((September))December 1st of each year. The report shall identify:

(a) Any barriers to implementation;

(b) Recommendations on policy and legislative solutions to overcome barriers to implementation;

(c) Reasons potentially eligible schools and school districts decide not to adopt the community eligibility provision; and

(d) Approaches in other states to adopting the community eligibility provision.

Sec. 3. RCW 28A.505.040 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 13 s 604 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) On or before the tenth day of July in each year, all school districts shall prepare their budget for the ensuing fiscal year. The annual budget development process shall include the development or update of a four-year budget plan that includes a four-year enrollment projection. The four-year budget plan must include an estimate of funding necessary to maintain the continuing costs of program and service levels and any existing supplemental contract obligations.

(2) The completed budget must include a summary of the four-year budget plan and set forth the complete financial plan of the district for the ensuing fiscal year.

(3)(a) Upon completion of their budgets, every school district shall electronically publish a notice stating that the district has completed the budget, posted it electronically, placed it on file in the school district administration office, and that a copy of the budget and a summary of the four-year budget plan will be furnished to any person who calls upon the district for it.

(b) School districts shall submit one copy of their proposed budget and the four-year budget plan summary to their educational service districts ((and the office of the superintendent of public instruction)) for review and comment by July 10th. The superintendent of public instruction may delay the dates in this section if the state's operating budget is not finally approved by the legislature until after June 1st.

(c) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall consider the information provided under (b) of this subsection when ranking each school district by the financial health of the school district in order to provide information for districts to avoid potential financial difficulty, insolvency, or binding conditions.

Sec. 4. RCW 28A.505.080 and 1984 c 128 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

Copies of the budgets for all local school districts, including the four-year budget plan prepared under RCW 28A.505.040, shall be filed with the superintendent of public instruction no later than September 10th. One copy will be retained by the educational service district.

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