Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Education Committee

HB 2217

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.

Brief Description: Encouraging school districts to work with community partners to improve the utilization of K-12 capital facilities.

Sponsors: Representatives Zeiger, Sawyer, Dahlquist, Haigh, Haler and Bergquist.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Changes the name of a staff allocation in the prototypical school funding model from "Parent Involvement Coordinator" to "Family and Community Engagement Coordinator" (FCEC).

  • Encourages school districts to use FCECs to coordinate partnerships between schools and community-based organizations to expand programs using school facilities outside the regular school day or year.

Hearing Date: 1/20/14

Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).

Background:

State funding for the Instructional Program of Basic Education is allocated through a funding formula based on assumed class size and the administrative, instructional, and classified staff needed for a prototypical elementary, middle, or high school of a particular size. There are also assumptions about non-staff costs, district-wide support, central administration, and special programs.

One of the building-level staff allocations is a Parent Involvement Coordinator. In the 2013-15 biennial budget, a new allocation was established providing 0.0825 full-time equivalent staff for this position in a prototypical elementary school of 400 students in kindergarten through 6th grade. There is no definition or description of the duties of a Parent Involvement Coordinator. The funding formulas are for allocation purposes only; school districts make their own actual staffing decisions.

Statutes pertaining to the Learning Assistance Program (LAP) reference "Parent and Family Engagement Coordinators," whose duties include conducting outreach activities and support for parents.

Summary of Bill:

A prototypical school funding formula staffing allocation is renamed from "Parent Involvement Coordinator" to "Family and Community Engagement Coordinator" (FCEC). A similar staffing reference in the LAP is also renamed.

School districts are encouraged to use FCECs to coordinate partnerships between schools, the school district, and community-based organizations in order to expand program offerings using school facilities outside of the regular school day or year.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.