Brief Description: Regarding an online mathematics curriculum.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Sullivan, Ormsby, Haigh, Schual-Berke, Green and Simpson).

House Committee on Education
House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education

Background:

In 2007 the Legislature directed the State Board of Education (SBE) to review and recommend to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) revisions to Washington's mathematics standards (Essential Academic Learning Requirements and Grade Level Expectations). The OSPI was required to revise the mathematics standards and present them to the SBE and the Legislature by January of 2008.

The OSPI was also directed to identify no more than three mathematics curricula each for elementary, middle, and high school grade spans that align with the new standards and present these to the SBE by May 15, 2008, for formal comment. The SBE's comments are due by June 30, 2008. The OSPI must make any changes based on the SBE's comments and recommendations and adopt the recommended curricula. Subject to funding and availability of curricula, at least one of the curricula in each grade span must be available online at no cost to schools and parents.

Summary:

The OSPI and the SBE must work together to develop and issue a request for proposals (RFP) for private vendors or nonprofit organizations to adapt an existing mathematics curriculum to align it with Washington's mathematics standards and make the curriculum available online at no cost to school districts. The online mathematics curriculum must cover course content in grades kindergarten through 12 and Washington's college readiness standards.

Proposals submitted pursuant to the RFP must address cost and include timelines for development and implementation. The OSPI must review and analyze the responses and report the results of the RFP to the Governor and the education and fiscal committees of the Legislature by December 1, 2008.

The timelines for presentation of three mathematics curricula by the OSPI to the SBE, and for the SBE's comments and recommendations, are revised. The OSPI must present its recommendations to the SBE within six months after the mathematics standards are adopted, and the SBE then has two months to review and provide official comment.

The OSPI must conduct a survey of the mathematics curricula used by school districts, and the districts' curricula purchasing cycles, and report the results to the Legislature by November 15, 2008.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   91   6
Senate   47   1   (Senate amended)
House         (House refused to concur)
Senate   49   0   (Senate amended)
House   97   0   (House concurred)

Effective: June 12, 2008