HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2278
BYRepresentatives Walker, Peery, Ebersole, Betrozoff, May, Wolfe, Wineberry, Ferguson, Todd, Van Luven, Doty, Horn, Brumsickle, Tate, Holland, Basich, Spanel, Rasmussen, P. King and Wood
Establishing the fair start program.
House Committe on Education
Majority Report: Do pass as amended. (17)
Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Cole, Dorn, Holland, Horn, Jones, P. King, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Schoon, Valle, Walker and K. Wilson.
House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)
AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION JANUARY 31, 1990
BACKGROUND:
Currently, districts may choose to hire or not hire individuals such as counselors, social workers, intervention specialists, or other personnel to deal with the issues of abuse, homelessness, poor health and nutrition, family disruptions, dropping out, teen pregnancy and mental health issues.
SUMMARY:
BILL AS AMENDED: The Legislature finds that the provision of counseling and related prevention and intervention services at the elementary school level will enhance the classroom environment for both students and teachers. Addressing these problems is an important step in enabling students to realize their academic and personal potential.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall establish the fair start program. The program is a voluntary grant program to aid school districts in providing prevention and intervention programs for elementary students. The funds must be used for new programs, not to replace funds for existing programs.
The program may provide a child intervention specialist. An intervention specialist may be a certificated school counselor, school psychologist, school nurse or school social worker, a health care provider licensed by the Department of Licensing, or a child psychiatric or mental health specialist.
In awarding the grants, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall give priority to districts with at least one elementary school in which there is a high priority of students eligible for free or reduced price lunches. The priority system is as follows: Priority one: More than 50 percent of the students are eligible to receive free or reduced price lunches; Priority two: Between 40 and 50 percent of the students are eligible to receive free or reduced price lunches; Priority three: Between 25 and 40 percent of the students are eligible to receive free or reduced price lunches; Priority four: Any district which does not meet priority one, two or three.
In 1990-91 funds may be awarded to priority one school districts and if there is money available to priority two school districts, in 1991-92 to priority two and three school districts, in 1992-93 to priority three and four and in 1993-94 to priority four school districts. Higher priority school districts shall always be funded before lower priority districts.
The grant application for implementing or enhancing an elementary prevention and intervention program shall include: 1) evidence that the district has adopted a policy on the district's responsibility relating to prevention and intervention services or a letter committing the district to adopting such a policy within six months of receiving state funds for this purpose, 2) district goals on a student/intervention specialist ratio, 3) procedures for notifying parents of referral of a child for such services and who will be liable for the cost of outside services, 4) use of funds for in-service, 5) evaluation procedures to determine effectiveness and request information. Districts may prepare a joint application or may have an educational service district submit an application for one or more school districts.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction and Educational Service Districts shall assist districts in the development of grant applications.
The grant shall be used to increase the level of prevention and intervention services provided to elementary students. These programs shall emphasize the delivery of services by the intervention specialist. The district may also contract for services with governmental and nongovernmental organizations or community-based professional health care providers.
An advisory committee shall be appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to assist in establishing additional grant application criteria and to make recommendations on selection to the superintendent. The committee shall include representatives of child intervention specialists, teachers, administrators, principals and parents.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall submit a biennial report to the governor and Legislature on the fair start program. The first report is due December 1, 1992 and in subsequent even numbered years.
Information on the projects shall be distributed to other districts through the Education Clearinghouse.
The State Board of Education, with assistance from the Superintendent of Public Instruction and higher education institutions with preparation programs for educational staff associates such as counselors, psychologists, nurses, social workers, administrators and teachers, shall conduct a study on the supply of staff for intervention specialists. The study should also look at the impact of out-of-state certification, potential for developing in-service programs for certificated and classified staff in this area, and the feasibility of developing an intervention specialist certificate. The report to the the Legislature on these findings is due December 31, 1990.
The sum of $10 million is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991 for grants to school districts. The sum of $75,000 is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991 for sending information to other districts through the clearinghouse and the study by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. An additional $75,000 is appropriated to the State Board of Education for its part in the study for the biennium ending June 30, 1991.
The implementation of the program is subject to an appropriation being made for this purpose in the appropriations act.
AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL: The appropriation is removed and the program will be implemented only if an appropriation for this program is included in the appropriations act.
Fiscal Note: Requested January 17, 1990.
House Committee ‑ Testified For: Rep. Sally Walker; Don Johnson, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Ann Simon, Washington Association of Child Abuse Councils; Ellen Roe, Seattle School District; Larry Matthews, Committee for Accountability and Responsibility in Government; Linda McGee, Washington School Counselors Association; Karen Clark, Tacoma School District; Norm Walker, W.S.C.A.; Donna Shy, Washington State Parent and Teacher Association; Kris Van Gorkom, Washington Association of School Administrators; Tony Lee, Washington Association of Churches; JoAnn Young, Pacific Counseling Services; Bob Maier, Washington Education Association; and Walter Ball, Association of Washington School Principals.
House Committee - Testified Against: No one.
House Committee - Testimony For: Since 1987, there has been an effort to provide assistance for children and their families. Children and their families face multidimensional problems and need to have the flexibility to provide the type of assistance a child needs. In some districts that may be a counselor, in others a social worker or a nurse. This bill allows a district to select the type of services they need to best provide for their children. We must not loose sight of helping children over the issue of whether a person is certificated or not. Flexibility should be the essence of the program.
House Committee - Testimony Against: None.