Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Education Committee
HB 1664
Brief Description: Concerning prototypical school formulas for physical, social, and emotional support in schools.
Sponsors: Representatives Rule, Stonier, Shewmake, Senn, Ramel, Wicks, Johnson, J., Callan, Berg, Cody, Davis, Goodman, Leavitt, Santos, Simmons, Kloba, Pollet, Riccelli, Harris-Talley, Hackney and Frame.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Increases minimum allocations for school nurses in the prototypical school funding model, over three years.
  • Specifies that funding specified in the prototypical school funding model for school nurses, social workers, psychologists, guidance counselors, safety staff and parent involvement coordinators may be provided only to the extent of and proportionate to demonstrated actual staff ratios for these and other support staff, up to the funded staff ratios. 
Hearing Date: 1/13/22
Staff: Megan Wargacki (786-7194).
Background:

School Nurse Defined.  A "school nurse" is an individual licensed by the state Department of Health (DOH) as a registered nurse who holds an educational staff associate certificate for school nurses issued by the Professional Educator Standards Board.  Nursing care in schools may be provided by either: a school nurse employed by a school district, or a nurse licensed by the DOH, who may not have a school nurse certificate, under contract with the school district.

 

Prototypical School Funding Model Allocations.  The prototypical school funding model allocates general apportionment funding to school districts based on assumed levels of staff and other resources necessary to support "prototypical" elementary, middle, and high schools.  These prototypical schools are assumed to have the following full-time student enrollments: 400 students for elementary school; 432 students for middle school; and 600 students for high school.  For each prototypical school, the model includes minimum allocations for school nurses, social workers, psychologists, guidance counselors, classified staff providing student and staff safety, parent involvement coordinators, and other staff.  

The minimum allocations for school nurses are:

  • 0.076 for a prototypical elementary school;
  • 0.060 for a prototypical middle school; and
  • 0.096 for a prototypical high school.

 

Discretionary Spending of Allocations.  Subject to some limits, the funding provided to school districts through the prototypical school funding model is for allocation purposes only.  This means that school districts have discretion over spending decisions and can, for example, use funding allocated for school nurses to hire teachers, to purchase technology, or on other costs.  However, there are exceptions to this discretionary spending allowance, including that funding for average kindergarten through grade three (K-3) class sizes may be provided only to the extent of and proportionate to the school districts' demonstrated actual class size in grades K-3, up to the funded class sizes.

 

Additional Allocations for School Staff.  In addition to the staffing units provided through the prototypical school funding model, additional staffing units for specified staff, including school nurses, are specified in statute.  The additional staffing units must be allocated to school districts to the extent that the additional units are specifically appropriated and designated for those staff in the omnibus operating appropriations act.  The additional staffing units for school nurses are:

  • 0.5090 for a prototypical elementary school;
  • 0.8280 for a prototypical middle school; and
  • 0.7280 for a prototypical high school.
Summary of Bill:

Prototypical School Funding Model Allocations for School Nurses.  The minimum allocations for school nurses in the prototypical school funding model are increased over three years to equal the 2021-22 school year prototypical school funding model allocations for school nurses plus the additional staffing units for school nurses specified in statute.

 

For the 2022-23 school year, the minimum allocations for school nurses are:

  • 0.246 for a prototypical elementary school;
  • 0.336 for a prototypical middle school; and
  • 0.339 for a prototypical high school.

 

For the 2023-24 school year, the minimum allocations for school nurses are:

  • 0.416 for a prototypical elementary school;
  • 0.612 for a prototypical middle school; and
  • 0.582 for a prototypical high school.

 

Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, the minimum allocations for school nurses are:

  • 0.585 for a prototypical elementary school;
  • 0.888 for a prototypical middle school; and
  • 0.824 for a prototypical high school.

 

Exceptions to Discretionary Spending of Allocations.  Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, the prototypical school funding model includes a new category called "physical, social, and emotional support staff."  "Physical, social, and emotional support staff" are school nurses, social workers, psychologists, guidance counselors, classified staff providing student and staff safety, parent involvement coordinators, and other support staff defined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

 

Funding for physical, social, and emotional support staff must be provided only to the extent of and proportionate to a school district's demonstrated actual staff ratios for physical, social, and emotional support staff, up to the funded staff ratios.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 5, 2022.
Effective Date: The bill contains multiple effective dates.