AN ACT Relating to student development and performance; amending RCW 28A.03.510; reenacting and amending RCW 28A.04.120; adding new sections to Title 28A RCW; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) Research and practice are increasingly showing that most individual behavior is largely motivated by self-confidence. Personal confidence may be the single most important factor contributing to success in students' lives. Low self-confidence is an attitudinal impediment to students achieving their full academic potential and performing up to personal capabilities and expectations. Increased self-confidence tends to enable students to become and feel more confident in their abilities, more creative, and more productive.

(2) It is the intent of the legislature to promote student development and performance by supporting and encouraging efforts to provide teachers and other educational personnel, students, parents, and others with information to assist students to realize academic and other achievements reflective of their innate potential.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The superintendent of public instruction, through the state clearinghouse for education information, resources, and research, shall collect and disseminate to all school districts and other interested parties, information about: (a) Existing school or school district model programs designed to enhance students' personal confidence and contribute to increased student performance; and (b) school organizational systems, including the "home room" concept, which tend to provide the structure and time necessary for students and teachers to recognize and appreciate their respective individuality.

(2) Teachers are encouraged to utilize the resources of the office of the superintendent of public instruction, including the clearinghouse, to acquire information about the relationship between personal confidence and student development and performance.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) Further academic research on the relationship of personal confidence to school performance and on factors which can influence student self-confidence, including class size, is critical to improving the learning environment. The state's public and private institutions of higher education and the Washington state institute for public policy are encouraged to support or undertake research on issues concerning the relationship between personal confidence and student achievement.

(2) Kindergarten through twelfth grade and higher education personnel are encouraged to apply for funds under RCW 28A.67.115 to support projects demonstrating the relationship between improved self-confidence and student performance.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The superintendent of public instruction may appoint an advisory committee to address issues relating to the development of students' personal confidence and school performance. The committee shall be of such size and composition as determined by the superintendent.

(2) The advisory committee authorized under subsection (1) of this section shall be supported only from nonstate funds from public or private sources as may be expressly provided to support the advisory committee.

(3) The superintendent of public instruction may accept, receive, and administer such gifts, grants, and contributions as may be expressly provided to support the advisory committee authorized under subsection (1) of this section.

(4) There is hereby created in the custody of the state treasurer a revolving fund, to be known as the student development revolving fund. The superintendent of public instruction shall deposit in the fund all moneys received under this section. Money in the fund may be spent only for the purposes of supporting the advisory committee under this section. Disbursements from the fund shall be on authorization of the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee. The fund is subject to the allotment procedure provided under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for disbursements.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules as necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 2 through 4 of this act.

Sec. 6. Section 28A.04.120, chapter 223, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. as last amended by section 3, chapter 149, Laws of 1986 and by section 86, chapter 266, Laws of 1986 and RCW 28A.04.120 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

In addition to any other powers and duties as provided by law, the state board of education shall:

(1) Approve the program of courses leading to teacher, school administrator, and school specialized personnel certification offered by all institutions of higher education within the state which may be accredited and whose graduates may become entitled to receive such certification. In approving teacher preparation programs, the state board shall assure that the programs provide instruction to teacher candidates in how to create educational environments which contribute to the personal confidence of students.

(2) Investigate the character of the work required to be performed as a condition of entrance to and graduation from any institution of higher education in this state relative to such certification as provided for in subsection (1) above, and prepare a list of accredited institutions of higher education of this and other states whose graduates may be awarded such certificates.

(3) Supervise the issuance of such certificates as provided for in subsection (1) above and specify the types and kinds of certificates necessary for the several departments of the common schools by rule or regulation in accordance with RCW 28A.70.005.

(4) Accredit, subject to such accreditation standards and procedures as may be established by the state board of education, all schools that apply for accreditation, and approve, subject to the provisions of RCW 28A.02.201, private schools carrying out a program for any or all of the grades one through twelve: PROVIDED, That no public or private schools shall be placed upon the list of accredited schools so long as secret societies are knowingly allowed to exist among its students by school officials: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the state board may elect to require all or certain classifications of the public schools to conduct and participate in such pre-accreditation examination and evaluation processes as may now or hereafter be established by the board.

(5) Make rules and regulations governing the establishment in any existing nonhigh school district of any secondary program or any new grades in grades nine through twelve. Before any such program or any new grades are established the district must obtain prior approval of the state board.

(6) Prepare such outline of study for the common schools as the board shall deem necessary, and prescribe such rules for the general government of the common schools, as shall seek to secure regularity of attendance, prevent truancy, secure efficiency, and promote the true interest of the common schools.

(7) Prepare with the assistance of the superintendent of public instruction a uniform series of questions, with the proper answers thereto for use in the correcting thereof, to be used in the examination of persons, as this code may direct, and prescribe rules and regulations for conducting any such examinations.

(8) Continuously reevaluate courses and adopt and enforce regulations within the common schools so as to meet the educational needs of students and articulate with the institutions of higher education and unify the work of the public school system.

(9) Carry out board powers and duties relating to the organization and reorganization of school districts under chapter 28A.57 RCW.

(10) By rule or regulation promulgated upon the advice of the director of community development, through the director of fire protection, provide for instruction of pupils in the public and private schools carrying out a K through 12 program, or any part thereof, so that in case of sudden emergency they shall be able to leave their particular school building in the shortest possible time or take such other steps as the particular emergency demands, and without confusion or panic; such rules and regulations shall be published and distributed to certificated personnel throughout the state whose duties shall include a familiarization therewith as well as the means of implementation thereof at their particular school.

(11) Hear and decide appeals as otherwise provided by law.

The state board of education is given the authority to promulgate information and rules dealing with the prevention of child abuse for purposes of curriculum use in the common schools.

Sec. 7. Section 1, chapter 180, Laws of 1986 and RCW 28A.03.510 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Recent and expanding activity in educational research has produced and continues to produce much valuable information. The legislature finds that such information should be shared with the citizens and educational community of the state as widely as possible. To facilitate access to information and materials on education, the superintendent of public instruction shall act as the state clearinghouse for ((~~educational~~)) education information, resources, and research.

(2) In carrying out this function, the superintendent of public instruction's primary duty shall be to collect, screen, organize, and disseminate information pertaining to the state's educational system from preschool through grade twelve, including but not limited to in-state research and development efforts; descriptions of exemplary, model, and innovative programs; and related information that can be used in developing more effective programs.

(3) The superintendent of public instruction shall maintain a collection of such studies, articles, reports, research findings, monographs, bibliographies, directories, curriculum materials, speeches, conference proceedings, legal decisions that are concerned with some aspect of the state's education system, and other applicable materials. All materials and information shall be considered public documents under chapter 42.17 RCW and the superintendent of public instruction shall furnish copies of educational materials at nominal cost.

(4) The superintendent of public instruction shall coordinate the dissemination of information with the educational service districts and shall publish and distribute, on a monthly basis, a newsletter describing current activities and developments in education in the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The sum of forty-nine thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, to the superintendent of public instruction to carry out the purpose of section 2 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Sections 2 through 5 of this act are each added to Title 28A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. 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.