BILL REQ. #:  H-1845.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/21/05.   

     AN ACT Relating to dropout prevention; amending RCW 28A.175.010 and 28A.655.030; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.175 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28A.175 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall review and evaluate promising programs and practices for dropout prevention. The superintendent may consult with education administrators and providers, parents, students, and researchers as appropriate, and shall include in the review dropout prevention programs using nonpunitive approaches to school discipline. The superintendent shall report to the legislature by December 1, 2005, and recommend:
     (a) The most promising comprehensive dropout prevention programs and practices that encompass school-wide or district-wide restructuring of the delivery of educational services;
     (b) The most promising targeted dropout prevention programs and practices designed to provide social and other services in coordination with educational services to students who are at risk of dropping out due to the presence of family, personal, economic, or cultural circumstances; and
     (c) Policy and other changes to enhance the ability of career and technical education and skills center programs to further contribute to dropout prevention efforts.
     (2) The superintendent of public instruction shall establish school and school district goals addressing high school graduation rates and dropout reduction goals for students in grades seven through twelve. Goals under this section shall require annual incremental growth in graduation rates from all schools and districts beginning in the 2005-06 school year and shall meet or exceed the high school graduation rate goals established in 2003 by the academic achievement and accountability commission.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.175.010 and 1991 c 235 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     Each school district shall account for the educational progress of each of its students. To achieve this, school districts shall be required to report annually to the superintendent of public instruction:
     (1) For students enrolled in each of a school district's high school programs:
     (a) The number of students ((eligible for graduation)) who graduate in fewer than four years;
     (b) The number of students who graduate in four years;
     (c) The number of students who remain in school for more than four years but who eventually graduate and the number of students who remain in school for more than four years but do not graduate;
     (d) The number of students who transfer to other schools;
     (e) ((The number of students who enter from other schools;
     (f))) The number of students in the ninth through twelfth grade who drop out of school over a four-year period; and
     (((g))) (f) The number of students whose status is unknown.
     (2) Dropout rates of students in each of the grades ((nine)) seven through twelve.
     (3) Dropout rates for student populations in each of the grades ((nine)) seven through twelve by:
     (a) Ethnicity;
     (b) Gender;
     (c) Socioeconomic status; and
     (d) Disability status.
     (4) The causes or reasons, or both, attributed to students for having dropped out of school in grades ((nine)) seven through twelve.
     (5) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW to assure uniformity in the information districts are required to report under subsections (1) through (4) of this section. In developing rules, the superintendent of public instruction shall consult with school districts, including administrative and counseling personnel, with regard to the methods through which information is to be collected and reported.
     (6) In reporting on the causes or reasons, or both, attributed to students for having dropped out of school, school building officials shall, to the extent reasonably practical, obtain such information directly from students. In lieu of obtaining such information directly from students, building principals and counselors shall identify the causes or reasons, or both, based on their professional judgment.
     (7) The superintendent of public instruction shall report annually to the legislature the information collected under subsections (1) through (4) of this section.

Sec. 3   RCW 28A.655.030 and 2004 c 19 s 205 are each amended to read as follows:
     The powers and duties of the academic achievement and accountability commission shall include, but are not limited to the following:
     (1) For purposes of statewide accountability, the commission shall:
     (a) Adopt and revise performance improvement goals in reading, writing, science, and mathematics by subject and grade level as the commission deems appropriate to improve student learning, once assessments in these subjects are required statewide. The goals shall be consistent with student privacy protection provisions of RCW 28A.655.090(7) and shall not conflict with requirements contained in Title I of the federal elementary and secondary education act of 1965, as amended. The goals may be established for all students, economically disadvantaged students, limited English proficient students, students with disabilities, and students from disproportionately academically underachieving racial and ethnic backgrounds. ((The commission may establish school and school district goals addressing high school graduation rates and dropout reduction goals for students in grades seven through twelve. The commission shall adopt the goals by rule.)) However, before each goal is implemented, the commission shall present the goal to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate for the committees' review and comment in a time frame that will permit the legislature to take statutory action on the goal if such action is deemed warranted by the legislature;
     (b) Identify the scores students must achieve in order to meet the standard on the Washington assessment of student learning and, for high school students, to obtain a certificate of academic achievement. The commission shall also determine student scores that identify levels of student performance below and beyond the standard. The commission shall consider the incorporation of the standard error of measurement into the decision regarding the award of the certificates. The commission shall set such performance standards and levels in consultation with the superintendent of public instruction and after consideration of any recommendations that may be developed by any advisory committees that may be established for this purpose. The initial performance standards and any changes recommended by the commission in the performance standards for the tenth grade assessment shall be presented to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate by November 30th of the school year in which the changes will take place to permit the legislature to take statutory action before the changes are implemented if such action is deemed warranted by the legislature. The legislature shall be advised of the initial performance standards and any changes made to the elementary level performance standards and the middle school level performance standards;
     (c) Adopt objective, systematic criteria to identify successful schools and school districts and recommend to the superintendent of public instruction schools and districts to be recognized for two types of accomplishments, student achievement and improvements in student achievement. Recognition for improvements in student achievement shall include consideration of one or more of the following accomplishments:
     (i) An increase in the percent of students meeting standards. The level of achievement required for recognition may be based on the achievement goals established by the legislature and by the commission under (a) of this subsection;
     (ii) Positive progress on an improvement index that measures improvement in all levels of the assessment; and
     (iii) Improvements despite challenges such as high levels of mobility, poverty, English as a second language learners, and large numbers of students in special populations as measured by either the percent of students meeting the standard, or the improvement index.
     When determining the baseline year or years for recognizing individual schools, the commission may use the assessment results from the initial years the assessments were administered, if doing so with individual schools would be appropriate;
     (d) Adopt objective, systematic criteria to identify schools and school districts in need of assistance and those in which significant numbers of students persistently fail to meet state standards. In its deliberations, the commission shall consider the use of all statewide mandated criterion-referenced and norm-referenced standardized tests;
     (e) Identify schools and school districts in which state intervention measures will be needed and a range of appropriate intervention strategies, beginning no earlier than June 30, 2001, and after the legislature has authorized a set of intervention strategies. Beginning no earlier than June 30, 2001, and after the legislature has authorized a set of intervention strategies, at the request of the commission, the superintendent shall intervene in the school or school district and take corrective actions. This chapter does not provide additional authority for the commission or the superintendent of public instruction to intervene in a school or school district;
     (f) Identify performance incentive systems that have improved or have the potential to improve student achievement;
     (g) Annually review the assessment reporting system to ensure fairness, accuracy, timeliness, and equity of opportunity, especially with regard to schools with special circumstances and unique populations of students, and a recommendation to the superintendent of public instruction of any improvements needed to the system;
     (h) Annually report by December 1st to the legislature, the governor, the superintendent of public instruction, and the state board of education on the progress, findings, and recommendations of the commission. The report may include recommendations of actions to help improve student achievement;
     (i) By December 1, 2000, and by December 1st annually thereafter, report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate on the progress that has been made in achieving goals adopted by the commission;
     (j) Coordinate its activities with the state board of education and the office of the superintendent of public instruction;
     (k) Seek advice from the public and all interested educational organizations in the conduct of its work; and
     (l) Establish advisory committees, which may include persons who are not members of the commission;
     (2) Holding meetings and public hearings, which may include regional meetings and hearings;
     (3) Hiring necessary staff and determining the staff's duties and compensation. However, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide staff support to the commission until the commission has hired its own staff, and shall provide most of the technical assistance and logistical support needed by the commission thereafter. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall be the fiscal agent for the commission. The commission may direct the office of the superintendent of public instruction to enter into subcontracts, within the commission's resources, with school districts, teachers, higher education faculty, state agencies, business organizations, and other individuals and organizations to assist the commission in its deliberations; and
     (4) Receiving per diem and travel allowances as permitted under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.