SENATE BILL REPORT

E2SHB 2337

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Sponsors: House Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Representatives Carlyle, Orwall, Sullivan, Maxwell, Lytton, Zeiger, Reykdal, Pettigrew, Liias, Dammeier, Fitzgibbon, Pedersen, Hunt and Hudgins).

Background: Individual school districts are responsible for establishing curriculum and selecting textbooks and other coursework materials to support their curriculum. The state funds curriculum and courseware through the Materials, Supplies, and Operating Costs (MSOC) portion of the prototype schools funding model. The 2011-13 biennial budget appropriated funding equal to $62.45 per full-time-equivalent (FTE) student for the curriculum and textbooks portion of the MSOC allocation in fiscal year (FY) 2013.

Due to individual selection of curricula, a wide variety of materials are used in schools across the state. For example, a 2008 report by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) showed that there were 20 or more different math curricula being used in the middle schools in the 2007-08 school year. The Common Core State Standards describe knowledge and skills in reading and mathematics across all grade levels and were developed by a consortium of multiple states. In July 2011 OPSI adopted the Common Core State Standards, which will serve as the state K-12 learning standards when they are fully implemented in 2014-15.

Summary of Bill: OSPI must take the lead in developing, either by contract or in-house methods, new or existing openly licensed courseware aligned with Common Core State Standards and license it under an attribution license. OSPI must use its best efforts to seek additional outside funding and advertise to school districts the availability of openly licensed course work.

OSPI must report annually to the Governor and educational committees of the Legislature from December 1, 2013, until December 1, 2017, on the development of openly licensed courseware. This report must include input from classroom practitioners.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: Openly licensed courseware is high quality, low cost courseware that will save school districts money and provide students with updated educational materials. Textbooks cost around $4 per book, and are also available in a variety of digital formats. We want to emphasize the role teachers and librarians play in the identification of openly licensed courseware. We are supportive of the bill now that it no longer diverts funds from MSOC.