SENATE BILL REPORT
ESSB 6255

As Passed Senate, February 13, 2006

Title: An act relating to improving student performance through student-centered planning.

Brief Description: Improving student performance through student-centered planning.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Eide and McAuliffe).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education: 1/13/06, 1/16/06 [DPS-WM].

Ways & Means: 1/31/06, 2/6/06 [DPS(EKHE), w/oRec].

Passed Senate: 2/13/06, 45-1.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING, K-12 & HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6255 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
   Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Pridemore, Vice Chair, Higher Education; Weinstein, Vice Chair, Early Learning & K-12; Schmidt, Ranking Minority Member; Benton, Berkey, Carrell, Delvin, Eide, Kohl-Welles, Pflug, Rasmussen, Rockefeller, Schoesler and Shin.

Staff: Ingrid Mungia (786-7423)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6255 as recommended by Committee on Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Fraser, Vice Chair, Capital Budget Chair; Doumit, Vice Chair, Operating Budget; Brandland, Fairley, Kohl-Welles, Pridemore, Rasmussen, Regala, Roach, Rockefeller, Schoesler and Thibaudeau.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.Signed by Senators Zarelli, Ranking Minority Member; Parlette and Pflug.

Staff: Bryon Moore (786-7726)

Background: The Franklin Pierce school district developed a program designed to motivate students for higher performance and provide more academic guidance. During the past two school years (2003-2005), other districts have voluntarily adopted this program. The program is interspersed with all students' regular schedules and provides students with planning skills, career exploration opportunities, and portfolio development. Students lead annual conferences with their parents and a mentor-teacher. At the annual conferences, students explain their past performance and make future plans. The district sets its annual class schedule after students make their course selections.

Summary of Bill: The Legislature encourages each middle school, junior high, and high school to implement a comprehensive guidance and planning program. The purpose of the program is to:

A comprehensive guidance and planning program is one that contains at least the following components:

1)   a curriculum that could include analysis of students' test results; assessments of student interests and aptitudes; diagnostic assessments of students' academic strengths and weaknesses; use of assessment results in developing students' plans; goal setting skills; planning for high school course selection; independent living skills; and postsecondary options and how to access them;

2)   regular meetings with a teacher who serves as the student's advisor throughout their enrollment at the school;

3)   student-led parent-teacher conferences for the purpose of demonstrating the student's accomplishments, identifying weaknesses, planning and course selection, and long-term goal setting; and

4)   data collection that allows schools to monitor student's progress.

Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose, OSPI must develop and disseminate the program curriculum to all school districts no later than the beginning of the 2006-07 school year. OSPI must also develop and disseminate electronic student planning tools and a software package to analyze student performance; develop and disseminate options for diagnostic assessments; conduct regional training seminars for teachers; and monitor program implementation during the fall of 2006 in order to revise the curriculum by the spring of 2007.

OSPI must allocate a first round of implementation grants to 25 schools by December 2006, and a second round to 75 schools by January 2007. The purpose of the grants is to provide time for staff to plan and integrate the program into their schools.

Beginning September 1, 2007, OSPI must make diagnostic assessments available to assist school districts. These assessments, in addition to having other characteristics, should allow student progress to be compared across the country and be readily available to parents.

Beginning with the 2006-07 school year, OSPI must reimburse school districts for administering diagnostic assessments in 9th grade for the purpose of identifying academic weaknesses, enhancing student planning and guidance, and developing strategies to assist students before the high school Washington Assessment of Student Learning. This provision is null and void without funding in the budget.

By January 1, 2009, OSPI reports to the Legislature on the programs' impact on student performance.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This program is based on the Franklin Pierce School District, Navigation 101 model. It is important for students to have a plan at the beginning of a school year and follow through to the end of the year. This gives students another tool to succeed. The Workforce Board has used federal money in the past to replicate this program. There are about 33 schools in the state that are using the curriculum. The impact of this program goes way beyond what you think it could. This program keeps kids in school. It changes the focus in the school to a customer focus. It is about helping students become what they want to become after they leave high school. I like that the program starts with students. Many schools in the state have programs similar to the one proposed and have had great success. The bill does not mandate a specific program; it allows districts to adapt a program at the local level. It allows schools to thoughtfully implement what they need in the community and what the kids need. Navigation 101 is done by the instructors and they become a mentor to a group of students the whole time they are in the building. Students learn to navigate the waters of their education. There is a role for parents and a role for the professional. The key to student success is the relationship with a highly qualified classroom teacher. There can't be a one size fits all program; there are different needs and different ways to deliver the program. The program requires staff to better understand their high school curriculum because they have to counsel students on their curriculum.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Senator Eide, prime sponsor; Wes Pruitt, Workforce Board; Don Rash, AWSP; Kyra Kestner, OSPI; Gary King, WEA; Yoshe Revelle, Global Citizen.

House Amendment(s): All middle, junior high, and high schools are encouraged to implement a comprehensive guidance and planning program. In addition to other activities, OSPI is directed to disseminate electronic student planning tools, a software package to analyze student performance, and options for diagnostic assessments. If funds are available, OSPI must distribute a first round of 25 implementation grants to school districts by September 2006, and a second round of 75 grants by January 2007. The underlying bill called for an unspecified number of grants by December 2006. A reference is removed to OSPI rules that require grant recipients to make every effort to ensure capacity in the courses selected by students. An expiration date of July 1, 2009, is removed. The bill is no longer null and void without funding in the budget.

Beginning September 1, 2007, OSPI must make diagnostic assessments available to assist school districts. Beginning with the 2006-07 school year, OSPI must reimburse school districts for administering diagnostic assessments in 9th grade. This provision is null and void without funding in the budget.