AN ACT Relating to education; amending RCW 28A.34A.090, 28A.16.050, and 82.12.0284; adding new sections to chapter 28A.58 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 41.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 41.06 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.16 RCW; adding new sections to Title 28A RCW; creating new sections; repealing RCW 28A.34A.902 and 28A.03.380; providing expiration dates; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The long-term social, community welfare, and economic interests of the state will be served by an investment in our children. Conclusive studies and experiences show that providing children with certain developmental experiences and effective parental guidance can greatly improve their performance in school as well as increase the likelihood of their success as adults. National studies have also confirmed that special attention to, and educational assistance for, children and their school environment is the most effective way in which to meet the state's social and economic goals.

The legislature intends to enhance the readiness to learn of certain children and students by: Providing for an expansion of the state early childhood education and assistance program for children from low-income families and establishing an adult literacy program for certain parents; establishing an information and guidance program for parents of children up to age three; instituting a program to address learning problems due to drug and alcohol use and abuse; and establishing a program directed at students who leave school before graduation.

The legislature intends further to establish programs that will allow for parental, business, and community involvement in assisting the school systems throughout the state to enhance the ability of children to learn.

PART I

READINESS TO LEARN

Sec. 101. Section 9, chapter 418, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28A.34A.090 are each amended to read as follows:

For the ((~~duration~~)) purposes of this ((~~act~~)) chapter, the department may award state support under RCW 28A.34A.010 through 28A.34A.070 to increase the numbers of eligible children assisted by the federal or state-supported preschool programs in this state by up to five thousand additional children. Priority shall be given to groups in those geographical areas which include a high percentage of families qualifying under the federal "at risk" criteria. The overall program funding level shall be based on an average grant ((~~of no more than two thousand seven hundred dollars~~)) per child ((~~to cover all~~)) consistent with state appropriations made for program costs: PROVIDED, That programs addressing special needs of selected groups or communities shall be recognized in the department's rules.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 102. Section 15, chapter 418, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28A.34A.902 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 103. (1) Parents can be the most effective teachers for their children. Providing illiterate or semiliterate parents with opportunities to acquire basic skills and child development knowledge will enhance their ability to assist and support their children in the learning process, and will enhance children's learning experiences in the formal education environment by providing children with the motivation and positive home environment which contribute to enhanced academic performance.

(2) Sections 104 through 108 of this act may be known and cited as project even start.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 104. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definition in this section shall apply throughout sections 105 through 108 of this act.

"Parent" or "parents" means a parent who has less than an eighth grade ability in one or more of the basic skill areas of reading, language arts, or mathematics, as measured by a standardized test, and who has a child or children enrolled in: (1) The state early childhood education and assistance program; (2) a federal head start program; or (3) a state or federally funded elementary school basic skills program serving students who have scored below the national average on a standardized test in one or more of the basic skill areas of reading, language arts, or mathematics.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 105. (1) The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the department of community development, the department of social and health services, the state board for community college education, and community-based, nonprofit providers of adult literacy services, shall develop an adult literacy program to serve eligible parents as defined under section 104 of this act. The program shall give priority to serving parents with children who have not yet enrolled in school or are in grades kindergarten through three.

(2) In addition to providing basic skills instruction to eligible parents, the program may include other program components which may include transportation, child care, and such other directly necessary activities as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of sections 104 through 108 of this act.

(3) Parents who elect to participate in training or work programs, as a condition of receiving public assistance, shall have the hours spent in parent participation programs, conducted as part of a federal head start program, or the state early childhood education and assistance program under chapter 28A.34A RCW, or parent literacy programs under sections 104 through 108 of this act, counted toward the fulfillment of their work and training obligation for the receipt of public assistance.

(4) State funds as may be appropriated for project even start shall be used solely to expand and complement, but not supplant, federal funds for adult literary programs.

(5) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules as necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 104 through 108 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 106. The superintendent of public instruction is authorized and directed, whenever possible, to fund or cooperatively work with existing adult literacy programs and parenting related programs offered through the common school and community college systems, vocational-technical institutes, or community-based, nonprofit organizations to provide services for eligible parents before developing and funding new adult literacy programs to carry out the purposes of project even start.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 107. The superintendent of public instruction shall evaluate and submit to the legislature by January 15, 1988, a report on the effectiveness of project even start. The initial report shall include, if appropriate, recommendations relating to the expansion of project even start. The superintendent shall submit a report to the legislature on project even start every two years after the initial report.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 108. The superintendent of public instruction, through the state clearinghouse for education information, shall collect and disseminate to all school districts and other interested parties information about effective parent literacy programs under project even start.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 109. Sections 104 through 108 of this act are each added to Title 28A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 110. (1) Research indicates that parental involvement and support can positively impact students' school performance and social development including conduct, human relations, and self-concept. Research also shows that from birth to age five children acquire a tremendous amount of knowledge including learning to both speak and understand the spoken language.

(2) Results from highly successful parents as teachers programs show that parents, as their children's primary and often most important teachers, and children can benefit from a parent education program which can enable parents to support more effectively their children's preschool educational and social development and thus help parents and children alike be ready for the children's initial public school experiences.

(3) Teachers, and other school personnel, also need to be prepared to contribute to students' initial and ongoing public school experiences. New and experienced teachers should be capable of transmitting to their students the concept that each student can master the fundamental skill of learning how to learn and that learning does not end upon graduation from high school or college. As the state continues to move forward into an information and service-oriented age, a student's personal orientation to life-long learning will become a new basic skill the student can use to adapt to the rapidly emerging technological age and to mentally process increasingly larger amounts of information.

(4) It is the intent of the legislature to improve the public education system by promoting and encouraging efforts designed to provide young students with positive early educational experiences leading to successful progression through the common school system.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 111. (1) The superintendent of public instruction is directed to establish a voluntary, grant-based, parents as first teachers program to provide parents of children up to age three with information and guidance to increase parental confidence and involvement in the educational and social development of their children, and to establish positive home and school partnerships before children enter school to better help children, parents, and school personnel prepare for the children's first public school experiences.

(2) This program shall be a voluntary enrichment program and shall be offered only as funds are available and shall not be part of the basic program of education which must be fully funded by the legislature under Article IX, section 1 of the state Constitution.

(3) The superintendent of public instruction may accept, receive, and administer, from public or private sources, such gifts, grants, and contributions as may be expressly provided to support the parents as first teachers program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 112. The parents as first teachers program shall provide for resource materials on home learning activities, private and group educational guidance, individual and group learning experiences for the parent and child, and other appropriate activities to enable parents to improve learning in the home, understand the relationship between developmental stages and behavior, and monitor their children's growth and development relating to:

(1) Understanding and use of language;

(2) Perception through sight and hearing;

(3) Motor development and hand-eye coordination; and

(4) Health, physical development, and emotional, social, and mental development.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 113. (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules as necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 111 and 112 of this act.

(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall submit biennially, by January 15, a report to the legislature on the parents as first teachers program.

(3) The superintendent of public instruction, through the state clearinghouse for education information, shall collect and disseminate to all school districts and other interested parties information about the parents as first teachers program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 114. The superintendent of public instruction, the director of community development, and the secretary of social and health services shall jointly develop and submit to the legislature not later than January 15, 1990, a plan that includes the following elements:

(1) One or more options for integrating the parents as first teachers program established under sections 111 through 113 of this act, the early childhood education and assistance program established under chapter 28A.34A RCW, project even start established under sections 104 through 108 of this act, the governor's proposed family independence program, and other state programs as may be appropriate, and including a recommendation on which state agency should be the lead agency in administering an integrated, comprehensive early childhood development assistance program;

(2) A suggested timetable for phasing-in or otherwise implementing an integrated, comprehensive early childhood development assistance program;

(3) Suggested options and cost estimates for phasing-in an expansion of the programs under subsection (1) of this section as component elements of an integrated, comprehensive early childhood development assistance program; and

(4) Other recommendations as may be appropriate.

This section shall expire January 16, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 115. Sections 111 through 113 of this act are each added to Title 28A RCW.

PART II

THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

NEW SECTION. Sec. 201. The citizens of the state of Washington recognize the serious impact of alcohol and drug abuse on a student's self-concept and on the ability of students to learn. Therefore, the substance abuse awareness program is established: (1) To aid students in the development of skills that will assist them in making informed decisions concerning the use of drugs and alcohol; (2) to contribute to the development and support of a drug-free educational environment; and (3) to help school districts in the development of comprehensive drug and alcohol policies leading to the implementation of drug and alcohol programs that contain prevention, intervention, and aftercare components.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 202. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to implement this section and sections 203 through 207 of this act and shall distribute to school districts on a grant basis, from moneys appropriated for the purposes of this section and sections 203 through 207 of this act, funds for the development and implementation of educational and disciplinary policies leading to the implementation of prevention, intervention, and aftercare activities regarding the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol. The following program areas may be funded through moneys made available for this section and sections 203 through 207 of this act, including but not limited to:

(1) Comprehensive program development;

(2) Prevention programs;

(3) Elementary identification and intervention programs;

(4) Secondary identification and intervention programs;

(5) School drug and alcohol core team development and training;

(6) Development of referral and preassessment procedures;

(7) Aftercare;

(8) Drug and alcohol specialist;

(9) Staff, parent, student, and community training; and

(10) Coordination with law enforcement, community service providers, other school districts, educational service districts, and drug and alcohol treatment facilities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 203. (1) School districts interested in implementing a substance abuse awareness program shall file an application for state funds with the superintendent of public instruction. The application shall include the following:

(a) A letter of commitment from the board of directors to adopt a comprehensive written policy on drugs and alcohol, and a proposed substance awareness abuse program and implementation plan, within six months of receipt of state funding. The comprehensive policy and program shall address the issues of prevention, intervention, aftercare, and disciplinary policies, and shall emphasize cooperation and coordination of services among public and private agencies, including law enforcement agencies. If the district's board of directors has already adopted a comprehensive policy and plan, the district shall submit a copy of the comprehensive policy and plan;

(b) A letter of commitment from the board of directors to appoint a school and community substance abuse advisory committee if such a committee has not been established. The advisory committee shall include representatives of at least the following: The school district instructional staff, students, parents, state and local government law enforcement personnel, and the county coordinator of alcohol and drug treatment, or his or her designee, or a representative of other treatment service providers. If the district has already established an advisory committee but its membership does not include members representing any of the groups identified in this subsection, the board of directors shall appoint an additional member or members, if necessary, accordingly. The advisory committee shall work to help coordinate school district programs and services with programs and services available within the community and thereby contribute toward the development of a continuum of prevention, intervention, and after care services within the total community and to avoid the duplication of services; and

(c) A copy of the district's assessment of the scope of the problem of drug and alcohol abuse within the district, as such use and abuse by individuals affects the learning environment in each school.

(2) The district shall demonstrate its plan to provide local matching funds of an amount equal to at least twenty percent of the state funds that the district is eligible to receive. Matching funds may be funds received from federal programs, other funds available to the district, or in-kind contributions: PROVIDED, That in-kind contributions shall be not more than one-half of the minimum matching funds required.

(3) The district shall provide an outline of procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of the district's substance abuse awareness program.

(4) Joint applications and programs may be undertaken by school districts. Districts which elect to participate in a joint program may file a joint application and establish a joint school and community substance abuse advisory committee.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 204. School districts may apply on an annual basis to the superintendent of public instruction for continued funding of a local substance abuse awareness program meeting the provisions of sections 202 through 207 of this act and shall submit an application that includes: (1) Verification of the adoption of comprehensive district policies; (2) proposed changes to the district's substance abuse awareness program, where necessary; (3) proposed areas of expenditures; (4) the district's plan to provide matching funds of an amount to equal at least twenty percent of the state funds for which the district is eligible; (5) a plan for program evaluation; and (6) a report evaluating the effectiveness of the previously funded program one year after the program is implemented, including all the information required in this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 205. The superintendent of public instruction shall appoint a substance abuse advisory committee comprised of: Representatives of certificated and noncertificated staff; administrators; parents; students; school directors; the bureau of alcohol and substance abuse within the department of social and health services; the traffic safety commission; and county coordinators of alcohol and drug treatment. The committee shall advise the superintendent on matters of local program development, coordination, and evaluation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 206. The superintendent of public instruction, through the state clearinghouse for education information, shall collect and disseminate to all school districts and other interested parties information about effective substance abuse programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 207. If any part of sections 202 through 206 of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements which are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, the conflicting part of sections 202 through 206 of this act is hereby declared to be inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict and with respect to the agencies directly affected, and such finding or determination shall not affect the operation of the remainder of sections 202 through 206 of this act in its application to the agencies concerned. The rules under sections 202 through 206 of this act shall meet federal requirements which are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 208. Sections 202 through 207 of this act are added to Title 28A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 209. (1) To encourage youth who are considering dropping out of school to remain in school, or youth who have dropped out of school to return to school, it is the intent of the legislature to aid in the planning and implementation of educational programs for such youth. Furthermore, in recognition that effective assistance at the elementary school level will likely reduce the need for dropout intervention at the secondary level, the legislature intends to encourage early identification of and assistance to students not succeeding in school in the elementary grades.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 210. (1) The superintendent of public instruction is authorized and shall grant funds to selected school districts to assist in the development of student motivation, retention, and retrieval programs for youth who are at risk of dropping out of school or who have dropped out of school. The purpose of the state assistance for such school district programs is to provide districts the necessary start-up money which will encourage the development by districts or cooperatives of districts of integrated programs for students who are at risk of dropping out of school or who have dropped out of school.

(2) Funds as may be appropriated for the purposes of this section and sections 211 through 215 of this act shall be distributed to qualifying school districts for initial planning, development, and implementation of educational programs designed to motivate, retain, and retrieve students.

(3) Funds shall be distributed among qualifying school districts on a per pupil basis. To determine the per pupil allocation, the total appropriation for this program shall be divided by the total student population of all qualifying districts as determined on October 1, 1987. The resulting dollar amount shall be multiplied by the total student population of each qualifying school district to determine the maximum grant that each qualifying school district is eligible to receive. No district may receive more than is necessary for planning and implementation activities outlined in the district's grant application.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 211. (1) In distributing grant funds, the superintendent of public instruction shall first award funds to each school district with a dropout rate which, as determined by the superintendent of public instruction, is over time in the top twenty-five percent of all districts' dropout rates. The superintendent shall give priority consideration among such qualifying districts to granting funds to those districts where no student motivation, retention, and retrieval programs currently exist.

(2) The superintendent may grant funds to a cooperative of districts which may include one district, or more, whose dropout rate is not in the top twenty-five percent of all districts' dropout rates.

(3) The sum of all grants awarded pursuant to sections 210 through 215 of this act for a particular biennium shall not exceed the amount appropriated by the legislature for such purposes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 212. (1) A district which receives planning funds before the effective date of this section may receive program development or implementation funds.

(2) A district or cooperative of districts shall be eligible to receive program implementation funds once every two years. Funds from each subsequent application by a district or cooperative of districts, however, shall be used to expand the dropout program to additional grades or another school or to initiate a new dropout program. Grants shall not be used to supplant funds of an existing program. The superintendent shall give priority to the effectiveness of district plans and implementation programs before granting additional awards to a school district.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 213. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of sections 210 through 215 of this act. The rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction shall include but not be limited to:

(1) Providing for an annual evaluation of the effectiveness of the program;

(2) Requiring that no less than twenty percent of the moneys from the program implementation grant be used for identification and intervention programs in elementary and middle schools;

(3) Establishing procedures allowing school districts to claim basic education allocation funds for students attending a program conducted under sections 210 through 215 of this act outside the regular school-year calendar, to the extent such attendance is in lieu of attendance within the regular school-year calendar; and

(4) Evaluating the number of children within an applicant district who fail to complete their elementary and secondary education with priority going to districts with dropout rates over time in the top twenty-five percent of all districts' dropout rates.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 214. The superintendent of public instruction shall appoint an advisory committee on school dropouts. The committee shall be comprised of certificated and noncertificated staff, administrators, parents, counselors, and others as the superintendent finds appropriate. The committee shall propose criteria to the superintendent for evaluating planning and implementation proposals submitted by school districts.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 215. The superintendent of public instruction, through the state clearinghouse for education information, shall collect and disseminate to all school districts and other interested parties information about effective student motivation, retention, and retrieval programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 216. The legislature recognizes that educational clinics provide a necessary and effective service for students who have dropped out of common school programs. Educational clinics have demonstrated success in preparing such youth for productive roles in society and are an integral part of the state's program to address the needs of students who have dropped out of school. The superintendent of public instruction shall distribute funds, consistent with legislative appropriations, allocated specifically for educational clinics in accord with chapter 28A.97 RCW. The legislature encourages school districts to explore cooperation with educational clinics.

Sec. 217. Section 14, chapter 278, Laws of 1984 and RCW 28A.16.050 are each amended to read as follows:

Commencing with the 1987-1988 school year, supplementary funds as may be provided by the state for this program, in accordance with RCW 28A.41.162, shall be categorical funding on an excess cost basis based upon a per student amount no less than two percent but not to exceed three percent of any district's full-time equivalent enrollment.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 218. Section 21, chapter 278, Laws of 1984 and RCW 28A.03.380 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 219. Sections 210 through 216 of this act are each added to Title 28A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 220. The legislature finds that investing in the education of the children of the state of Washington is one of the most important responsibilities of the state. Providing resources to local school districts to provide quality education that directly impacts children is necessary to ensure that the children of this state will be prepared to meet the challenges of the future.

The legislature further finds that parental, community, and private sector involvement in planning and implementing educational programs is advantageous to ensuring relevance and quality in the delivery of educational programs to the children of the state of Washington.

The legislature further finds that, as investors in the education of the children of the state of Washington, the public is entitled to assurances that educational programs are delivered in such a way as to ensure that children are receiving maximum benefit from the educational programs of this state.

The legislature recognizes that individual school districts have individual educational needs that can be met by providing additional dollars distributed directly to the school districts. It is the intent of the legislature to provide selected local school districts under a two-year pilot program the flexibility to meet individual needs with a minimum of direction from the legislature as to what those needs may be.

The purpose of sections 221 through 228 of this act is to provide a grant, in addition to the district's basic education allocation, to each school district based on full-time equivalent student enrollment to meet the educational needs of each district.

Sections 221 through 228 of this act shall be known as the local education enhancement and accountability program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 221. (1) The superintendent of public instruction is authorized to award grants to up to twenty school districts for the 1987-88 and 1988-89 school years to be used by the selected districts only for the purposes identified in Parts I, II, and III of this act.

(2) New or existing programs enhanced by the funds provided to districts by a grant under this section and sections 222 through 228 of this act shall not become a part of the state's basic education obligation as set forth by the Constitution.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 222. (1) The board of directors of each school district selected to participate in the pilot program under sections 221 through 228 of this act shall establish an advisory committee consisting of the chairman of the school board or a school board member appointed by the chairman who shall chair the advisory committee, the superintendent of the local district, not more than two principals from schools located in the district elected by principals in the district, two teachers from schools located in the district elected by the teachers in the district, and not less than seven nor more than fifteen citizens representing a cross-section of schools throughout the district nominated by locally recognized adult associations and selected by local school boards. To the extent possible, principals and teachers selected to serve on the advisory board shall be representative of the mix of schools within the district.

(2) The advisory committee shall develop a series of recommendations for the expenditure of the grant dollars to be submitted to the local school board for approval.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 223. Each advisory committee shall be responsible for:

(1) Assessing the needs of the schools within the district;

(2) Assigning priority to addressing the identified needs;

(3) Preparing a comprehensive two-year plan to address the priority needs identified by the committee within the grant funding limitations;

(4) Developing an evaluation methodology to assess specifically how the expenditure of the grants demonstrate a direct educational benefit to the pupils within the district.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 224. Each advisory committee shall submit its plan to the local school board for approval. Upon approval the local board shall submit the plan to the superintendent of public instruction in detail no later than December 1, 1987. Districts may request technical assistance from their local educational service district to prepare their plans.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 225. Stipends may be awarded to certificated or classified staff who assume extra duties under sections 221 through 228 of this act. Such stipends shall not be considered compensation for the purposes of salary lid compliance under RCW 28A.58.095.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 226. School districts may enter into cooperative agreements to provide educational enhancements through the sharing of grant funds and may submit a joint application for grant funds to the superintendent of public instruction.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 227. (1) Each district shall maintain specific records on how the grant dollars are spent pursuant to the district's plan. A final report shall be submitted to the superintendent of public instruction no later than August 1989, detailing: (a) How the grant funds were spent; and (b) how such expenditures directly resulted in benefitting the education of children in kindergarten through twelfth grade in their respective districts. Districts may request technical assistance from their respective educational service districts to complete the reports.

(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall, no later than January 31, 1990, make a comprehensive final report to the legislature on the use of the local district grants and the educational benefits derived therefrom.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 228. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules as necessary to implement sections 221 through 227 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 229. Sections 221 through 228 of this act shall expire February 1, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 230. Sections 221 through 228 of this act are 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 immediately.

PART III

COMMUNITY SCHOOL SUPPORT

NEW SECTION. Sec. 301. The legislature finds that citizen involvement in the education of the children of this state is of the utmost importance to the continued vitality of the state. By encouraging and establishing school involvement programs, the legislature intends to create a climate of awareness and support for the educational development of our state's future citizens. The legislature finds that by providing time for employees to become involved with school-age children the welfare of every person in this state will be promoted.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 302. A new section is added to chapter 28A.58 RCW to read as follows:

School districts are encouraged to develop school involvement programs in addition to the policies on parents' access to classrooms and school activities required under RCW 28A.58.053. As part of the school involvement program, school districts' policies and plans should be designed to encourage and accommodate the participation in school activities by persons interested and involved with school-age children. The plans should include encouraging classroom observations, parent-teacher consultations, participation in special programs, school volunteer activities, and participation in policy-making and advisory groups at both the district and building levels.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 303. A new section is added to chapter 28A.58 RCW to read as follows:

School districts are encouraged to provide information to local businesses, organizations, and governmental agencies about their school involvement programs under section 302 of this act. School districts are encouraged to seek suggestions from local businesses, organizations, and governmental agencies about implementing their school involvement programs. School districts may enter into agreements with private businesses and organizations and state and local governmental agencies to facilitate employee participation in the local program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 304. A new section is added to Title 28A RCW to read as follows:

Employers in this state are encouraged to consider adjustments to the work schedules of individual employees, who are parents of children attending schools in the community, to allow these employees periodic opportunities throughout the school year to visit their children's schools, during the school day, in order to promote and support greater parental involvement with local school districts.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 305. A new section is added to chapter 28A.58 RCW to read as follows:

The superintendent of public instruction, through the state clearinghouse for education information, shall collect and disseminate to all school districts and other interested parties information about effective school involvement programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 306. A new section is added to chapter 41.04 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Any employee of the state of Washington may participate in school involvement programs established pursuant section 302 of this act for up to twenty hours during any calendar year during the regular hours of their employment without any loss in salary, seniority, retirement, or other benefits: PROVIDED, That the employee's absence from his or her job, due to participation in a local school district school involvement program, does not require someone else having to perform the employee's work-related responsibilities.

(2) The twenty hours of leave for school involvement, or so much thereof as may be used, shall be deducted from accrued sick leave. If the employee has no accrued sick leave, the employee may not participate in the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 307. A new section is added to chapter 41.06 RCW to read as follows:

The state personnel board shall adopt rules to carry out its duties under section 306 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 308. A new section is added to chapter 28B.16 RCW to read as follows:

The higher education personnel board and related boards, as provided under RCW 28B.16.080, shall adopt rules to carry out their duties under section 306 of this act.

Sec. 309. Section 7, chapter 55, Laws of 1983 1st ex. sess. and RCW 82.12.0284 are each amended to read as follows:

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply in respect to the use of ((~~computers, computer components, computer accessories, or computer software~~)) tangible personal property or services irrevocably donated to and accepted by any public or private nonprofit school or college, as defined under chapter 84.36 RCW, in this state((. For purposes of this section, "computer" means a data processor that can perform substantial computation, including numerous arithmetic or logic operations, without intervention by a human operator during the run)) for direct instructional purposes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 310. 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.