H-4584              _______________________________________________

                                          SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 1829

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By House Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Representatives Ebersole, Betrozoff, Taylor, Rayburn, Appelwick, Walker, Cole, Holland, Valle, Winsley, Long, May and Schoon; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction)

Read first time 2/10/86 and passed to Committee on Rules.

AN ACT Relating to the study of categorical instructional services for students with special needs; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     There is hereby created the interim joint select committee on school district special needs programs.  The committee shall be composed of the following members:  Four members of the house of representatives with two from each major political party appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and four members of the senate with two from each major political party appointed by the president of the senate.  Under the direction of the joint select committee, the superintendent of public instruction shall study methods to provide improved instruction to students needing categorical educational services and shall develop recommendations that enhance these students' opportunities for success.  The study and recommendations shall include at least the following topics:

          (1) Future service demand in light of changing student demographics and declining federal resources;

          (2) The adequacy of the state's data and information systems as they relate to class size and students requiring categorical educational services;

          (3) The relationship between the current system for the delivery of categorical educational services and the ability of the regular classroom to meet student diversity;

          (4) The relationship between the ratio of certificated staff to students in the classroom and the number of students referred and the type of categorical assistance for which referrals are made;

          (5) The relationship between the ratio of adults to students in the classroom and the number of students referred and the type of categorical assistance for which referrals are made;

          (6) The interrelationship between various state and federal programs designed to serve students requiring categorical educational services;

          (7) The relationship between the methods of delivering categorical educational services and research results about educational success;

          (8) The impact of delivering categorical educational services in the regular classroom setting to include:  (a) Class size considerations, (b) teaching methods, and (c) coordination of categorical program services;

          (9) The interaction between and effects upon educators, support staff, and parents of students needing categorical educational services in various delivery models; and

          (10) Other topics designated by the joint select committee.

          In conducting this study, the superintendent of public instruction shall include data regarding the categorical education services and students engaged in at least the following programs:  Federal chapter 1 disadvantaged and chapter 1 migrant, bilingual, the state remediation assistance program, and the federal and state special education programs.

          This section shall expire January 30, 1987.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     There is hereby appropriated from the general fund to the office of the superintendent of public instruction the sum of fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the purpose of conducting case studies of school district programs to be included in the study directed by this act.  The study shall be completed and results and recommendations for investigation of systems refining categorical education services through data-based pilot projects shall be reported to the legislature no later than January 5, 1987.