BILL REQ. #:  H-1587.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/16/11.   

     AN ACT Relating to establishing the pay for actual student success dropout prevention program; adding new sections to chapter 28A.175 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that:
     (a) Providing students with the opportunity to graduate from high school with the knowledge and skills to be successful in today's world is now clearly part of Washington's definition of a basic education. Some students will only achieve this objective with supplemental interventions, support, and counseling;
     (b) Dropout prevention is a fundamental strategy for strengthening society, building the economy, reducing crime, reducing government spending, and increasing individual freedom and opportunity;
     (c) For every dropout prevented, the chances of that person committing a crime are reduced by twenty percent, and that person stands to increase his or her lifetime earnings by three hundred thousand dollars in today's dollars. In addition, for every dropout prevented, taxpayers save an estimated ten thousand five hundred dollars per year for each year of the individual's life between the ages of twenty and sixty-five; and
     (d) There are known and proven strategies to reduce the dropout rate, including ones that are successful for high-risk and troubled students. For example, the Everett school district successfully increased its extended graduation rate from fifty-three percent in 2003 to ninety percent in 2010 by tracking the progress toward graduation of each student and assigning success coordinators to ensure students pursued all possible avenues to complete and make up credits. The Renton school district, through a combination of leadership, community partnerships and resources, and high expectations for all students, has increased its graduation rate to ninety percent, with ninety-six percent of graduating seniors in 2010 meeting proficiency on the state high school assessments. However, these types of models have never been brought to scale.
     (2) Therefore, the state should use a market-based approach to recognize and reward actual success in reducing the dropout rate by investing a portion of the savings generated from each prevented dropout in the public schools.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.175 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The pay for actual student success (PASS) program is created under this section and sections 3 through 6 of this act to provide a financial award for high schools that demonstrate improvement in the dropout prevention indicators established under this section. The legislature finds that increased accumulation of credits and reductions in incidents of student discipline lead to improved graduation rates.
     (2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the state board of education, must:
     (a) Calculate the annual extended graduation rate for each high school, which is the rate at which a class of students enters high school as freshmen and graduates with a high school diploma, including students who receive a high school diploma after the year they were expected to graduate. The office may statistically adjust the rate for student demographics in the high school, including the number of students eligible for free and reduced price meals, special education and English language learner students, students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds, and student mobility;
     (b) Annually calculate the proportion of students at grade level for each high school, which shall be measured by the number of credits a student has accumulated at the end of each school year compared to the total number required for graduation. For the purposes of this subsection (2)(b), the office shall adopt a standard definition of "at grade level" for each high school grade;
     (c) Annually calculate the proportion of students in each high school who are suspended or expelled from school, as reported by the high school. In-school suspensions shall not be included in the calculation. Improvement on the indicator under this subsection (2)(c) shall be measured by a reduction in the number of students suspended or expelled from school; and
     (d) Beginning with the 2012-13 school year, annually measure student attendance in each high school as provided under section 7 of this act.
     (3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may add dropout prevention indicators to the list of indicators under subsection (2) of this section, such as student grades, state assessment mastery, or student retention.
     (4) To the maximum extent possible, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall rely on data collected through the comprehensive education data and research system to calculate the dropout prevention indicators under this section and shall minimize additional data collection from schools and school districts unless necessary to meet the requirements of this section.
     (5) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop a metric for measuring the performance of each high school on the indicators under subsection (2) of this section that assigns points for each indicator and results in a single numeric dropout prevention score for each high school. The office shall weight the extended graduation rate indicator within the metric so that a high school does not qualify for an award under section 3 of this act without an increase in its extended graduation rate. The metric used through the 2012-13 school year shall include the indicators in subsection (2)(a) through (c) of this section and shall measure improvement against the 2010-11 school year as the baseline year. Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, the metric shall also include the indicator in subsection (2)(d) of this section, with improvement in this indicator measured against the 2012-13 school year as the baseline year. The office may establish a minimum level of improvement in a high school's dropout prevention score for the high school to qualify for a PASS program award under section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28A.175 RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose or otherwise available in the account established in section 5 of this act, beginning in the 2011-12 school year and each year thereafter, a high school that demonstrates improvement in its dropout prevention score compared to the baseline school year as calculated under section 2 of this act may receive a PASS program award as provided under this section. The legislature intends to recognize and reward continuous improvement by using a baseline year for calculating eligibility for PASS program awards so that a high school retains previously earned award funds from one year to the next unless its performance declines.
     (b) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must determine the amount of PASS program awards based on appropriated funds and eligible high schools. The intent of the legislature is to provide an award to each eligible high school commensurate with the degree of improvement in the high school's dropout prevention score and the size of the high school. The office must establish a minimum award amount. If funds available for PASS program awards are not sufficient to provide an award to each eligible high school, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish objective criteria to prioritize awards based on eligible high schools with the greatest need for additional dropout prevention and intervention services. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall encourage and may require a high school receiving a PASS program award to demonstrate an amount of community matching funds or an amount of in-kind community services to support dropout prevention and intervention.
     (c) Ninety percent of an award under this section must be allocated to the eligible high school to be used for dropout prevention activities in the school as specified in subsection (2) of this section. The principal of the high school shall determine the use of funds after consultation with parents and certificated and classified staff of the school.
     (d) Ten percent of an award under this section must be allocated to the school district in which the eligible high school is located to be used for dropout prevention activities as specified in subsection (2) of this section in the high school or in other schools in the district.
     (e) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may withhold distribution of award funds under this section to an otherwise eligible high school or school district if the superintendent of public instruction issues a finding that the school or school district has willfully manipulated the dropout prevention indicators under section 2 of this act, for example by expelling, suspending, transferring, or refusing to enroll students at risk of dropping out of school or at risk of low achievement.
     (2) High schools and school districts may use PASS program award funds to support any of the following dropout prevention and reengagement activities, offered directly by the school or school district or under contract with education agencies or community-based organizations, including but not limited to educational service districts, workforce development councils, and boys and girls clubs:
     (a) Strategies to close the achievement gap for disadvantaged students and minority students;
     (b) Use of graduation coaches as defined in section 4 of this act;
     (c) Opportunity internship activities under RCW 28C.18.164;
     (d) Dropout reengagement programs provided by community-based organizations or community and technical colleges;
     (e) Comprehensive guidance and planning programs as defined under RCW 28A.600.045, including but not limited to the navigation 101 program;
     (f) Reduced class sizes, extended school day, extended school year, and tutoring programs for students identified as at risk of dropping out of school, including instruction to assist these students in meeting graduation requirements in mathematics and science;
     (g) Outreach and counseling targeted to students identified as at risk of dropping out of school, or who have dropped out of school, to encourage them to consider learning alternatives such as preapprenticeship programs, skill centers, running start, technical high schools, and other options for completing a high school diploma;
     (h) Preapprenticeship programs or running start for the trades initiatives under RCW 49.04.190;
     (i) Mentoring programs for students;
     (j) Development and use of dropout early warning data systems;
     (k) Counseling, resource and referral services, and intervention programs to address social, behavioral, and health factors associated with dropping out of school;
     (l) Implementing programs for in-school suspension or other strategies to avoid excluding middle and high school students from the school whenever possible;
     (m) Parent engagement activities such as home visits and off-campus parent support group meetings related to dropout prevention and reengagement; and
     (n) Early learning programs for prekindergarten students.
     (3) High schools and school districts are encouraged to implement dropout prevention and reengagement strategies in a comprehensive and systematic manner, using strategic planning, school improvement plans, evaluation and feedback, and response to intervention tools.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28A.175 RCW to read as follows:
     For the purposes of section 3 of this act, a "graduation coach" means a staff person assigned to identify and provide intervention services to students who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out of school or of not graduating on time through the following activities:
     (1) Monitoring and advising on individual student progress toward graduation;
     (2) Providing student support services and case management;
     (3) Motivating students to focus on a graduation plan;
     (4) Encouraging parent and community involvement;
     (5) Connecting parents and students with appropriate school and community resources;
     (6) Securing supplemental academic services for students;
     (7) Implementing schoolwide dropout prevention programs and interventions; and
     (8) Analyzing data to identify at-risk students.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 28A.175 RCW to read as follows:
     The dropout rate reduction account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. The purpose of the account is to make PASS program awards under section 3 of this act. Revenues to the account include any appropriations made by the legislature for the purposes of section 3 of this act, federal funds, gifts or grants from the private sector or foundations, and other sources. Only the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 28A.175 RCW to read as follows:
     The office of the superintendent of public instruction must regularly inform high schools and school districts about the opportunities under this section and sections 2 through 5 of this act and the activities that have been demonstrated to increase the likelihood of a school receiving a dropout prevention recognition award. Within available funds, the office shall develop systemic, ongoing strategies for identifying and disseminating successful dropout prevention and reengagement programs and strategies and for incorporating dropout prevention and reengagement into high school and school district strategic planning and improvement. The office may offer support and assistance to schools and districts through regional networks. The office shall make every effort to keep dropout prevention and reduction of the dropout rate a top priority for school directors, administrators, and teachers.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules establishing a standard definition of student absence from school. In adopting the definition, the superintendent shall review current practices in Washington school districts, definitions used in other states, and any national standards or definitions used by the national center for education statistics or other national groups. The superintendent shall also consult with the building bridges work group established under RCW 28A.175.075.
     (b) Using the definition of student absence adopted under this section, the superintendent shall establish an indicator for measuring student attendance in high schools for purposes of the PASS program under section 2 of this act.
     (2)(a) The K-12 data governance group under RCW 28A.300.507 shall establish the parameters and an implementation schedule for statewide collection through the comprehensive education and data research system of: (i) Student attendance data using the definitions of student absence adopted under this section; and (ii) student discipline data with a focus on suspensions and expulsions from school.
     (b) At a minimum, school districts must collect and submit student attendance data and student discipline data for high school students through the comprehensive education and data research system for purposes of the PASS program under section 2 of this act beginning in the 2012-13 school year.