AN ACT Relating to education; adding new sections to chapter 28A.27 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.03 RCW; making an appropriation; providing an expiration date; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that education enhances each person's chances of becoming a productive member of society. The legislature further recognizes that the problems of students who are suspended for long periods, who are expelled, or who are school dropouts are pervasive and that these students' chances of obtaining gainful employment are limited. The legislature intends to cooperate with the superintendent of public instruction and with selected school districts in the development of an exemplary target program aimed at preventing students from dropping out of school, being suspended for long periods, or being expelled. The program is intended to stress early identification and initiation of remedial measures.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) Beginning with the 1985-86 school year, the superintendent of public instruction, in cooperation with the selected school districts, university faculty, community and business resources, the Washington dropout prevention task force, and other consultants, shall develop, test, and revise, as necessary, the Washington high-risk student program to achieve the goal of preventing students from being suspended for long periods, being expelled, or dropping out of school. The program shall be implemented in at least one middle or junior high school and one senior high school in each of the five selected school districts.

(2) The target program shall be designed to:

(a) Thoroughly analyze the problem of long-term suspensions, expulsions, and school dropouts in the state using all resources available.

(b) Identify characteristics of students which indicate that the students might have a higher risk of being suspended for long periods, being expelled, or dropping out of school.

(d) Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The Washington high-risk student task force is established.

(2) The task force shall consist of nine members with diverse economic, social, educational, and ethnic backgrounds. At least five of the members shall be educators or have expertise in dropout prevention or other high-risk student programs. Five members shall be appointed by the governor, two members by the president of the senate, and two members by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(3) The terms of the persons appointed by the governor shall be for four years from the date of their appointment, except that the terms of three of the initial gubernatorial appointees shall be for two years from the date of their appointment. The terms of the members appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall be for four years. A gubernatorial appointee may be removed by the governor for cause under RCW 43.06.070 and 43.06.080. The governor shall fill a vacancy in any position by appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(4) Members shall not receive compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 while conducting business of the task force.

(5) The chair shall be selected by majority vote of the members of the task force. A majority of the task force constitutes a quorum.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The superintendent of public instruction shall provide administrative services and staff assistance as necessary to help the high-risk student task force carry out its duties. The superintendent of public instruction shall hire a director to administer the high-risk student program; assist in the implementation of the program; and act as liaison among the superintendent of public instruction, local community councils, and the task force. The superintendent of public instruction may hire other staff as necessary to carry out the high-risk student program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The task force shall:

(1) With the superintendent of public instruction, study the problem of school dropouts and the long-term suspension and expulsion of students in Washington state.

(2) With the superintendent of public instruction, design a target program aimed at reducing the number of school dropouts, long-term suspensions, and expulsions.

(3) Meet as necessary at the call of the chair to carry out its duties.

(4) Assist in the implementation of the target program in the selected school districts.

(5) Oversee and review the target program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The superintendent of public instruction shall select five school districts and educational service districts to participate in the high-risk student program. Each school district in the state may apply for participation on forms prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction. Guidelines and application procedures for the selection of the participating districts shall be developed by the superintendent of public instruction. The guidelines shall include the following factors which shall be considered in the selection process:

(1) Urban or rural nature of the school district. At least one school district shall be in or include a rural community.

(2) Long-term suspension, expulsion, and dropout rates within the school district. Those districts with high long-term suspension, expulsion, and dropout rates shall have priority for participation in the target groups.

(3) Socioeconomic demographics of the school district. The districts selected shall reflect a broad cross-section of economic, social, and ethnic backgrounds.

(4) Ability of the district to offer a special curriculum, to provide reduced class sizes, and to develop individualized education plans for potential dropouts or students at a high risk of being suspended for long periods or expelled.

(5) Commitment by the district school board to cooperate with the superintendent of public instruction to meet the objectives of the target program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. (1) The board of directors of each school district selected to participate in the high-risk student program shall appoint a community council of nine members. The members shall be composed of five educators and four private citizens representing the diverse social, economic, and ethnic interests in the community. The community council shall meet periodically, as necessary. The council's duties include:

(a) Selecting the schools within the district in which the target program will be implemented.

(b) Identifying resources available in the community which may be used to assist in preventing students from being suspended for long periods, being expelled, or dropping out of school. Such resources may include, but shall not be limited to, counseling services, career guidance, tutoring and other assistance necessary for mastery of necessary academic skills, job placement assistance, social support services, financial assistance, and medical services.

(c) Enlisting the aid of local industry to provide potential dropouts with work/study options and other appropriate assistance.

(d) Working with parents to help prevent students from being suspended for long periods, being expelled, or dropping out of school.

(e) Monitoring the implementation of the program at the selected school.

(f) Periodically reporting to the superintendent of public instruction regarding the progress of the program in the district.

(g) Local planning, oversight, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the program at the selected schools.

(2) The teachers and principal of each school selected by a community council shall identify fifty students to participate in the program. The students selected shall be those who reflect characteristics which place them at a high risk of dropping out of school.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The high-risk student program shall be implemented as follows:

(1) From July 1, 1985, to June 30, 1986, the superintendent of public instruction and the task force shall conduct a state-wide study on the problem of long-term suspensions, expulsions, and school dropouts. The study shall examine the reasons why students are suspended for long periods, are expelled, or drop out of school and propose preventative measures.

(2) From July 1, 1985, to June 30, 1986, the superintendent of public instruction, in cooperation with the task force, shall design a model program for implementation.

(3) The program shall be implemented in the selected school districts during the 1986-87 school year.

(4) The selected school districts may use any funds received to hire personnel as necessary to carry out the program in the selected schools in the districts.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Each community council shall report annually to the superintendent of public instruction and the Washington state high-risk student task force on the status of the target program implemented within the school district. The reports shall contain data and information required in rules promulgated by the state board of education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. The superintendent of public instruction and task force shall submit an evaluation report to the legislature and governor including findings and specific recommendations by January 15 of each odd-numbered year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. The state board of education is authorized to adopt rules necessary to implement sections 1 through 10 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. A new section is added to chapter 28A.03 RCW to read as follows:

For programs for the prevention of long-term suspension, expulsion, or school dropouts funded by the superintendent of public instruction before the effective date of this act, the superintendent of public instruction may continue funding of those programs upon demonstrable evidence of their effectiveness. These existing programs are not subject to sections 2 through 10 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. Sections 1 through 12 of this act shall expire July 1, 1995.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. There is hereby appropriated from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the 1985-87 biennium the sum of three million five hundred thousand dollars or so much thereof as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 15. Sections 1 through 11 of this act are added to chapter 28A.27 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 16. 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 shall take effect July 1, 1985.