SENATE BILL REPORT

ESHB 1444

BYHouse Committee on Education/Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Peery, Betrozoff, G. Fisher, Holland, Walker, May, O'Brien, Locke, Winsley, Bowman, Moyer, Valle, Horn, D. Sommers, Ferguson, Wineberry, Rector, Prentice, R. King, Sprenkle, Basich, Dorn, Rust, Todd and H. Myers; by request of  Governor Gardner)

Revising programs for students at risk.

House Committe on Education

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 28, 1989; March 30, 1989

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Bailey, Chairman; Lee, Vice Chairman; Anderson, Bender, Benitz, Fleming, Gaspard, Murray, Rinehart.

Senate Staff:Larry Davis (786-7422)

                  April 3, 1989

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 30, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In 1987, the Legislature passed a series of measures to address the problems of at-risk students.

(1)  The Remediation Assistance Program (RAP) was redefined to become the Learning Assistance Program (LAP).  The purpose of the change was to make more flexible the method in which services are provided to identified children and to encourage the use of assistance in the regular classroom rather than pulling students from the classroom for assistance.  The program was also expanded from grades 2-6 to K-9.

(2)  A comprehensive substance abuse awareness program was created to encourage school districts to develop prevention, intervention, and aftercare programs for students and to coordinate such programs with existing community resources.  Schools interested in developing a comprehensive program must apply for grant funds.  This program has been funded primarily with federal funds.

(3)  The dropout prevention and retrieval program was enacted to provide funding to school districts with the highest dropout rates.  Only the districts with a dropout rate in the top 25 percent of all districts are eligible for funding.  Funding for the drop-out prevention program expires at the end of this biennium.

SUMMARY:

Learning Assistance Program:  Within the Learning Assistance Program, the Legislature encourages schools and school districts to develop innovative and effective methods of serving children.  The district plan may incorporate plans developed by each eligible school.  The services provided through the Learning Assistance Program are expanded to include:  in-service training for instructional assistants and classroom teachers in multi-cultural differences; tutoring assistance during or after school or on Saturday provided by a student tutor, teacher, or instructional assistant; in-service training for parents of participating students, and counselling for elementary school students.

Districts receiving learning assistance funds in which students' test scores improve for subsequent years shall be funded on the statewide average of eligible students or the district's present level of funding, whichever is higher.  The allocation method will be reviewed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and recommendations made to the Legislature by January 1, 1995.

Substance Abuse Awareness Program:  Funding shall be provided and distributed for the Substance Abuse Awareness Program as appropriated in the budget.  Districts seeking Substance Abuse Awareness Program funding shall have on file an application for state or federal funds.  Funds may be used for elementary identification and intervention programs, including counseling programs. High School Dropout Rate Reduction: 

Districts are encouraged to design alternative high schools, schools-within- schools, and subject-matter-related schools, as well as flexible scheduling to meet the diverse needs of students at risk of dropping out.  Districts are also encouraged to use research on effective methods in working with dropouts.  A student tutor corps may be established to work with students at risk of dropping out.  Student tutors may be high school or college students.  The tutor may receive an hourly stipend.  The program encourages selection of ethnic and minority students as tutors.

Any student who has dropped out of high school for six weeks or longer, has returned from drug and alcohol treatment, is or is about to become a teen parent, or has returned from hospitalization due to a mental health problem, may choose to attend any other high school in the state regardless of residence. Students may attend a nonresident school only if they are accepted by the school.  Schools may not charge nonresident students tuition.  Schools are encouraged to accept students who choose to transfer if they meet these conditions.  Basic education funding allocations from these states shall follow the student.

Flexible Scheduling:  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall establish procedures to allow schools to claim basic education allocation funds for students attending classes that are provided outside the calendar school year to the extent such attendance is in lieu of attendance during the regular school year.  School may be taught on weekends and school holidays.

Core Competencies:  The State Board of Education shall review and evaluate strategies to replace Carnegie units (seat time) with core competencies as a method of evaluating student performance.  Core competencies shall include thinking skills.  In doing this review, the State Board of Education shall consult with the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, institutions of higher education, and other relevant agencies.  The board shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Legislature by December, 1989.

Pilot Programs for Prevention of Learning Problems:  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall select up to ten districts to participate in a three-year pilot program for prevention of learning problems and academic delays.  The program shall be funded from district resources.  If the district's number of specific learning disabled students averages less than 4 percent of the district's FTE enrollment for any of the pilot years, the district may receive state reimbursement for costs of the program if state funds are appropriated.  The maximum amount of state reimbursement for a pilot year is the difference between the state allocation for handicapped students the district would have received with 4 percent specific learning disabled enrollment and the actual state allocation for handicapped students the district received for that school year.  The SPI shall submit a report to the legislative Education Committees by December 15, 1992.

Outcomes Based Learning Assistance Education Recognition Awards:  The Superintendent of Public Instruction is empowered to establish an outcomes-based learning assistance education recognition award.  The award shall recognize schools that have shown significant and continuous improvement in student basic skills performance and other desired outcomes identified by the district and community.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

Learning Assistance Program:  Language is reinserted to permit districts to use learning assistance program funds to use instructional support staff to provide assistance to teachers in the classroom.

Districts may use learning assistance program funds to provide counseling to students in grades kindergarten through nine who are in the learning assistance program.  Funds districts would otherwise lose due to improved students' test scores may be retained by the districts and may be used to provide counseling to students who are not in the learning assistance program but without such counseling would likely become eligible for participation in the program.

The report date on the modification to the Learning Assistance Program is changed from January 1, 1995 to December 1, 1991.

Substance Abuse Awareness Program.  Amendatory changes to the Substance Abuse Awareness Program are deleted or repealed.  (The amendments are incorporated in the Senate amendment to E2SHB 1793, the omnibus drug bill.)  New amendatory language is added to clarify that substance abuse awareness program funds may be used for prevention programs directed at addressing addictive substances such as alcohol, drugs, and nicotine.  Funds may also be used for elementary and secondary identification and intervention programs, including counseling programs.

High School Dropout Rate Reduction.  Language is deleted authorizing establishment of a student tutor corps program and districts are encouraged to consider tutor programs among flexible teaching arrangements.

The open enrollment program for certain at-risk students is made a four-year pilot program, for the school years 1989-90 through 1993-94.  The program expires December 31, 1994 and the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) will submit a report to the Legislature by December 1, 1994.

Flexible Scheduling.  The existing statutory requirement that school may not be taught on Saturday is repealed.

Core Competencies.  The State Board of Education report on the core competencies study is due December 1, 1990 rather than December 1989.  The study shall take into consideration information from the Schools for the 21st Century Program, the report of the Temporary Committee on the Assessment and Accountability of Educational Outcomes.

Pilot Programs for Prevention of Learning Problems.  The SPI may, rather than shall, establish a pilot program for the prevention of learning problems and academic delays.  Five rather than ten districts may be selected and the pilot program shall be two years rather than three.  The report date is changed from December 15, 1992 to December 1, 1991, and the program shall expire December 31, 1991. 

If the number of specific learning disabled students served by a participating pilot district in handicapped education programs decreases as a result of the pilot program, the district will be reimbursed based upon the number of specific learning disabled students served in special education during the school year prior to commencement of the pilot project.

Outcomes-Based Learning Assistance Education Recognition Awards. The SPI shall develop and implement by December 1, 1991, an outcomes-based learning assistance education recognition program.  Separate awards shall be developed for each basic skills and work skills category listed in the basic education statute.  Separate awards shall be developed for interdisciplinary outcomes-based learning assistance education programs and for outcomes-based positive discipline learning assistance education programs.

$30,000 is appropriated to the SPI to develop and implement the outcomes-based learning assistance education recognition program.

Senate Committee - Testified: FOR:  Rep. Kim Peery, sponsor; Ronn Robinson, Office of the Governor; Steve Nielsen, Governor's Dropout Task Force