SENATE BILL REPORT

ESHB 2517

BYHouse Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Phillips, Betrozoff, Cole, Holland, Locke, Wang, O'Brien, Peery, Wineberry, Prentice, Walker, Brekke, Miller, Leonard, Rayburn, Valle, Jacobsen, Appelwick, Pruitt, H. Sommers, Rust, Nelson, Anderson, Brough, Horn, P. King, May, Winsley and McLean)

Establishing the magnet school program.

House Committe on Education

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 21, 1990; February 22, 1990

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

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

Senate Staff:Leslie Goldstein (786-7424)

                  February 26, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 22, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Magnet schools have been used throughout the nation in efforts to reduce school segregation.  Magnet schools offer a special curriculum or education program and are often designed to attract students from different cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds.

SUMMARY:

It is the intent of the Legislature to establish a grant program to provide financial assistance to eligible school districts to establish and operate magnet schools offering special curricula or programs capable of attracting students of varied racial and ethnic backgrounds.  These schools are to encourage the reduction or prevention of minority group isolation in schools that have attendance areas with high percentages of minority students.

From moneys appropriated by the Legislature, the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) may provide grants to eligible school districts for use in magnet schools.

A school district may apply for a magnet school grant if it has a minority student population in excess of 25 percent and: (1) has a court ordered desegregation plan; or (2) has developed, or is willing to adopt, a plan that reduces, eliminates, or prevents minority group isolation in schools with substantial proportions of minority group students.

Conditions applied to schools considered for grants shall include: the school would be racially unbalanced without implementation of a desegregation busing program; the school offers a specialized curriculum that provides a strong foundation in basic skills and cultural, academic, or vocational enrichment; and the school will be open to students of all levels of academic ability and achievement.

Uses for the grant funds are specified.  Grants shall be awarded annually.  A school may not receive additional grants if the minority percentage of the school increased relative to the minority percentage of the district.

In approving applications, priority shall be given to the number of minority children in the district and the proportion involved in the desegregation plan, the need for assistance, and the likelihood of success.

Moneys for magnet school programs shall be distributed by SPI to selected schools based on the number of full time equivalent students that the district intends to enroll in its magnet programs.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested February 6, 1990

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

The striking amendment makes two changes.

Eligibility of a school to participate in a magnet program is based upon whether or not the district would be racially imbalanced, rather than if the school would be racially imbalanced.

The requirement that a magnet school would no longer be eligible for funding if its minority population increases is deleted.

Senate Committee - Testified: EDUCATION:  PRO:  Ken Watson, Seattle Public Schools; Daryl Smith, Tacoma Public Schools; Linda Thompson-Black, City of Seattle, Mayor's Office