HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1627

BYRepresentatives Belcher, Brooks, Hargrove, Grimm, Sayan, Peery, Ebersole, Cole, Scott, Valle, Sprenkle, Brekke, Leonard and Locke

Establishing a family life education program.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (20)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Appelwick, Betrozoff, Butterfield, Cole, Cooper, Ebersole, Fuhrman, Holland, Holm, P. King, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Rust, Schoon, Taylor, Todd, Valle and Walker.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Majority Report:  The substitute bill by Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (19)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Brough, Butterfield, Ebersole, Grant, Grimm, Hine, Holland, McLean, Nealey, Peery, Silver, Spanel, Sprenkle and Wang.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (2)

      Signed by Representatives Fuhrman and B. Williams.

House Staff:      Janet Peterson (786-7136)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS/APPROPRIATIONS

FEBRUARY 7, 1988

BACKGROUND:

It is important that school programs equip children with the skills necessary to address the complex issues of modern life.  It is especially important that children have the knowledge and skills to protect their health and well-being.  Although some school districts have developed comprehensive health programs, others have not incorporated all the information necessary for personal health and well-being in their curriculum.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  The family life education program is established to provide comprehensive health information to children in grades kindergarten through twelve.  The program is designed to aid children in acquiring skills to allow them to make informed decisions concerning their health and interpersonal relationships; to develop and support responsible personal behavior; enrich the community; help schools in developing and implementing a comprehensive family life education program including health education, acquired immune deficiency syndrome education, substance abuse education, child abuse and neglect prevention and social skills development; and develop an understanding of the foundations of human development, sexuality, and reproduction at the various stages of growth.  Instruction should be appropriate to the child's level of maturity and take place within the existing curriculum when possible.

The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to implement the family life education program and provide technical assistance for the development and implementation of educational polices and in-service training for teachers on the family life education program.  An unspecified appropriation is made to fund this technical assistance.

Interested districts shall submit an application to the superintendent of public instruction for technical assistance.  The application shall include a letter of commitment from the board of directors to adopt a comprehensive written family life education policy and a proposed family life education program and implementation plan.  The program and plan must be submitted within six months after receipt of the technical assistance.  The policy and program must emphasize cooperation and coordination between school district officers, staff, parents, students, physicians and members of the community.  Before implementation, the district must demonstrate that such community consultation and cooperation has taken place.  The application shall also indicate a commitment of the school board to appoint a school and family life education advisory committee if such a committee has not been established.  It shall include the same groups which must be involved in the coordination and consultation with the community.  Finally, the application must outline procedures for conducting an on-going evaluation of the effectiveness of the district's family life program.

Districts must hold informational sessions for parents on the curriculum and materials to be used in the family life education program.  The session shall be held each year on evenings and weekends.  If a parent has attended these sessions and objects to the child's participation in writing, the child is not required to participate.

The superintendent of public instruction shall appoint a family life education advisory committee to advise the superintendent on matters of local program development, coordination and evaluation.

Information on effective programs shall be disseminated to all school districts and other interested parties through the education clearinghouse.

The superintendent of public instruction shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by November 1, 1990 on the implementation of this act.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Sexual abstinence is added to the topics to be taught.  If parents attend the information sessions on the family education program offered annually, they may withdraw their children from this program by submitting a written objection.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS/APPROPRIATIONS:  The implementation of the family life education program is phased in over the next three years.  Planning in local school districts would begin in the 1989-90 school year, with implementation of the programs required in 1990-91.  The application process for technical assistance is deleted.

The superintendent of public instruction is required to coordinate the development of family life education curricula with the implementation of AIDS education under SHB 1527.

Beginning in 1991, school districts are required to report to the superintendent of public instruction by August 1 of each year on the effectiveness and implementation of their family life education programs.  The date of the report to the legislature from the superintendent of public instruction on family life education programs is changed from November 1, 1990 to November 1, 1991.

An appropriation of $50,000 from the general fund is provided to the superintendent of public instruction for planning activities during the remainder of the 1987-89 biennium.

Appropriation:    $50,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the implementation of this act.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 8, 1988.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Education)  Representative Belcher; Representative Hargrove; Elizabeth Reis, The Association for Sexuality Education and Training and Seattle-King County Health Department; May Jane Johnson, School Nurses Organization of Washington; Ward Miles, State Health Coordinating Council; Bob Fisher, Washington Education Association; Ann Olson, PTA; Therese Peterson, Tacoma School District; Kathleen Preston, Washington Vocational Association; Teresa Stone, Bethel School District; Kris Van Gorkom, Washington Association of School Administrators; Judy Hartmann, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Robert Ball, Washington State Nurses Association; Pat Thibaudeau, Washington Women United.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  Representative Belcher.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Education)  Cris Shardelman, citizen.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  Mrs. Joanne Coker, Montesano; Sonnia Bean, Aberdeen.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Education)  It is important that students be provided the training and support to make responsible and informed decisions about their personal life.  The aim of this bill is prevention by encouraging responsible decision-making.  This places the school in the role of providing training and support to prevent problems rather than treatment and crisis management.  It also emphasizes the important role the community must play in such a program to make it work.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  The bill is the result of a bipartisan effort.  It deals with education and prevention, rather than treatment.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Education)  The legislature should define words such as "responsible" and make all rules for the implementation of this program.  This should not be left up to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  The bill is unnecessary because school districts can already provide such instruction.  It weakens family and community values.  The bill opens the door to teen health clinics.