AN ACT Relating to early childhood education; adding a new chapter to Title 28A RCW; making appropriations; providing effective dates; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A comprehensive state-funded preschool program modeled on the federal head start program is established for certain children who, without special assistance, would be at risk of failure when commencing formal education. This program is an optional program and is not part of the state's obligation to fund basic education.

The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall oversee the program and the program shall be administered by local school districts. The program shall be designed to provide eligible children with programs designed to provide children with educational skills, social skills, cultural backgrounds, and health and nutritional requirements necessary for successful performance in the common school system. Funds appropriated or otherwise made available for this program shall be used to establish new or expanded programs or to contract for the provision of programs and shall not supplant federally supported head start programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Advisory committee" means the advisory committee established pursuant to section 4 of this act.

(2) "At risk" means a three, four, or five year old child whose circumstances qualify the child for eligibility under the federal head start program.

(3) "Eligible child" means a child who is "at risk" as defined in this section and may include not more than ten percent of the children in a preschool who otherwise qualify under rules adopted by the state board of education. The term does not include children who are participants in the federal head start program or the state preschool for handicapped children program and receiving similar educational services.

(4) "Preschool" means a child development program before the kindergarten level which is recognized by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. School districts may contract with other governmental or nongovernmental nonprofit organizations to conduct all or a portion of this preschool program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The state board of education shall establish an advisory committee composed of representatives from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the department of social and health services, the department of community development, instructor preparation programs, head start associations, school districts, and other organizations as deemed necessary to assist with the establishment of the program.

(2) The advisory committee shall develop proposed rules and guidelines to be submitted to the state board of education not later than June 1, 1985. The board shall adopt rules under chapter 34.04 RCW for the implementation of the program not later than July 1, 1985. In the proposal and adoption of rules, federal head start guidelines shall be considered as applicable. The advisory committee in proposing rules and guidelines and the board in adopting the rules and guidelines shall consider: Coordination with the kindergarten through twelfth grade common school system and existing head start and preschool programs; staff preparation; adequate space and equipment; special transportation needs; and the educational, health, and other program requirements which should be instituted.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The preschool program shall be designed to provide services to five thousand eligible students during the 1985-86 school year, serve at least one-half the eligible children by 1989, and be fully implemented to serve all eligible children by 1991.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The state board of education in conjunction with the superintendent of public instruction shall develop a plan for a supplementary program for kindergarten students who otherwise qualify as eligible under the preschool program under this chapter. The plan shall be designed to provide services to two thousand five hundred eligible children during the 1986-87 school year, serve at least one-half the eligible children by 1990, and be fully implemented to serve all eligible children by 1992.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. (1) The office of early childhood education is established in the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The superintendent of public instruction shall select a director possessing appropriate qualifications.

(2) The office of early childhood education shall:

(a) Work with school districts in the development of programs for eligible children and for kindergarten students;

(b) Establish and coordinate a system where the office of the superintendent of public instruction will work with the department of social and health services in evaluating the educational and developmental quality of the educational and developmental programs offered by licensed day care agencies; and

(c) Perform other duties as deemed necessary by the superintendent of public instruction or the state board of education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The sum of four hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction to establish the office of early childhood education under section 7 of this act and provide for the expenses of the advisory board.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. The sum of forty-seven million six hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of the preschool program created under section 1 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. The sum of two million six hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to the state board of education for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, from the general fund for the purposes of the supplementary kindergarten program under section 6 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. The sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1985, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of the expenses of the advisory committee under section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. Sections 1 through 7 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and sections 4, 7, and 11 of this act shall take effect immediately and the remainder of this act shall take effect July 1, 1985.