H-1345              _______________________________________________

 

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 999

                        _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Appelwick, Jacobsen and Cole

 

 

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Education.

 

 


AN ACT Relating to educational clinics; adding new sections to chapter 28A.97 RCW; and creating a new section.

 

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

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.     It is the intent of this act to provide for an equitable distribution of funds appropriated for educational clinics, to stabilize existing programs, and to provide a system for orderly expansion or retrenchment in the event of future increases or reductions in program appropriations.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.97 RCW to read as follows:

          The superintendent of public instruction shall establish a plan for the educational clinics program that will:

          (1) Identify a funding level that is adequate to fund the enrollment served on the effective date of this act at a program level that fully uses existing program resources;

          (2) Identify areas of demand not now served where demand will support operation of clinics; and

          (3) Identify an appropriate proportion of private sector financial support.

          This plan shall be submitted to the legislature by January 1, 1986, and updates of the plan shall be submitted with each biennial budget request until such time as funding levels reach the levels identified in subsections (1) and (2) of this section.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.97 RCW to read as follows:

          In allocating funds appropriated for educational clinics, the superintendent of public instruction shall:

          (1) Place priority upon stability and adequacy of funding for educational clinics that have demonstrated superior performance as defined in RCW 28A.97.040(2).

          (2) Initiate and maintain a competitive review process to select new or expanded clinic programs in unserved or underserved areas.  The criteria for review of competitive proposals for new or expanded education clinic services shall include but not be limited to:

          (a) The proposing organization shall have obtained certification from the state board of education as provided in RCW 28A.97.010;

          (b) The cost-effectiveness of the proposal as judged by the criteria established in RCW 28A.97.100(1) and (2); and

          (c) The availability of committed nonstate funds to support, enrich, or otherwise enhance the basic program.

          (3) In selecting areas for new or expanded educational clinics programs, the superintendent of public instruction shall consider factors including but not limited to:

          (a) The proportion and total number of dropouts unserved by existing clinics programs, if any;

          (b) The availability within the geographic area of programs other than educational clinics which address the basic educational needs of dropouts; and

          (c) Waiting lists or other evidence of demand for expanded educational clinic programs.

          (4) In the event of any curtailment of services resulting from lowered legislative appropriations, the superintendent of public instruction shall issue pro rata reductions to all clinics funded at the time of the lowered appropriation.  Individual clinics may be exempted from such pro rata reductions if the superintendent finds that such reductions would impair the clinic's ability to operate at minimally acceptable levels of service.  In the event of such exceptions, the superintendent shall determine an appropriate rate for reduction to permit the clinic to continue operation.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.97 RCW to read as follows:

          The superintendent shall include the educational clinics program in the biennial budget request.  Appropriations for educational clinic programs shall be disbursed on a quarterly basis.