H-2346

AN ACT Relating to programs addressing disruptive students in regular classrooms; adding a new section to chapter 28A.415 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.

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

PART 1

INTENT

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that disruptive students can significantly impede effective teaching and learning in the classroom. When disruptive behavior forces teachers to devote a significant amount of time and energy on classroom management rather than teaching, the learning of all students suffers, including the learning of the student engaging in the disruptive behavior.

The legislature finds that the short-term removal from the classroom of a disruptive student may not be sufficient in every case to ensure an orderly classroom environment that is conducive to teaching and learning. Teachers, principals, and other school staff require training in effective strategies for handling disruptive students. Schools and school districts should be encouraged to provide staff with the training necessary to respond to disruptions effectively and should have opportunities to seek support for implementing plans to assist disruptive students more effectively in alternative learning programs and settings when appropriate.

PART 2

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.415 RCW to read as follows:

Subject to available funding, the superintendent of public instruction shall conduct professional development institutes to provide opportunities for teachers, principals, and other school staff to learn effective research-based strategies for handling disruptive students. The training institutes shall emphasize methods for handling disruptions in regular classrooms and how to design and implement alternative learning settings and programs that have been proven to be effective in providing for the educational needs of students who exhibit frequent and prolonged disruptive behavior when placed in a regular classroom setting. The institutes shall be intensive training programs at least two full days in length.

The superintendent of public instruction shall conduct at least one institute in each of the nine educational service districts by March 1, 2000, subject to available funding. The superintendent may enter into contracts with public or private entities that provide training in effective research-based methods for dealing with disruptive students. The institutes shall be open to teams of teachers, principals, and other school staff from each school district choosing to participate. However, as a condition of participating in the institutes, school district teams shall be required to develop during or immediately following the institute a district plan for carrying out the purposes of this section. Individual participants in the institutes shall agree to provide assistance as needed to other school staff in their school building or school district, consistent with their other normal duties.

Elementary and middle schools in districts that send teams to participate in institutes conducted under this section are encouraged to formulate school building-level plans for addressing the educational needs of disruptive students and the needs of students and teachers in the regular classrooms for an orderly and disciplined environment that is optimally conducive to learning.

PART 3

GRANT PROGRAM

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

A grant program to assist schools in providing alternative learning programs and settings for disruptive students in kindergarten through eighth grade is created.

The purpose of the grant program is to assist schools and districts in implementing plans for addressing the needs of disruptive students in kindergarten through eighth grade while improving the learning environment for students and teachers in regular classrooms. Grants are intended to support implementation of plans and programs that may include, but are not limited to, the creation or expansion of appropriate alternative educational programs and settings that are separate from the regular classroom environment and that are designed to meet the educational needs of students who are frequently and significantly disruptive when placed in the regular classroom setting.

The superintendent of public instruction shall administer the grant program. Schools, school districts, and consortia of schools or school districts may apply for funds under the program in this section by submitting an application to the superintendent of public instruction. A school, school district, or consortium of schools or school districts receiving funds in accordance with this section shall certify and provide documentation to the superintendent of public instruction that funds received were expended for professional development and related program implementation in accordance with the purposes of this section.

Applications must include a description of the school's or school district's plans for the use of these funds and how the funds will assist in improving regular classroom environments by providing for the removal of disruptive students and how the funds will assist in the placement of disruptive students in alternative learning programs and settings.

In order to be eligible for funding, applicants' plans must provide for the use of research-based strategies that have been demonstrated to be effective in dealing with the kinds of students intended to be served through this program.

Applications must also certify that at any program funded through the grant has the support of at least a majority of the instructional staff in any school with students who will be served through the program. However, in any school that has adopted policies requiring that more than a majority of certificated staff approve a proposal before beginning new programs or policies, the application must indicate the level of support required by the school's policies.

In distributing funds for this program, the superintendent shall give priority to applications that demonstrate the highest proportion of students who exhibit frequent and significant disruptive behavior or the highest proportion of disciplinary incidents such as removals from regular classrooms, suspensions, and expulsions. Priority shall also be assigned on the basis of an applicant's lack of trained personnel and absence of programs related to addressing the educational needs of disruptive students. Applicants may also be given priority on the basis of other information which the superintendent determines may be indicative of significant levels of disruptive behavior.

The superintendent of public instruction shall consult with representatives of principals' organizations in determining which applicants shall receive grants.

Grants shall be continued for a minimum period of three years, subject to available funding.

No funds made available through this grant program may be distributed before July 1, 2000.

PART 4

MISCELLANEOUS

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) If specific funding for the purposes of section 2 of this act, referencing section 2 of this act by bill or chapter and section number, is not provided by June 30, 1999, in the omnibus appropriations act, section 2 of this act is null and void.

(2) If specific funding for the purposes of section 3 of this act, referencing section 3 of this act by bill or chapter and section number, is not provided by June 30, 1999, in the omnibus appropriations act, section 3 of this act is null and void.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Part headings used in this act are not any part of the law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.