2SSB 5258

Brief Description: Creating the Washington academic, innovation, and mentoring (AIM) program.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Zeiger, Fain, Mullet, Rolfes, Chase, Kuderer and Hunt).

Hearing Date: 3/16/17

Staff: Megan Wargacki (786-7194).

Background:

The 2015–17 Operating Budget appropriated $250,000 to pilot a program of academic, innovation, and mentoring (AIM) over two years. The program was designed to enable eligible neighborhood youth development entities to provide out-of-school time programs for youth ages 6 to 18 that include educational services, mentoring, and linkages to positive, prosocial leisure, and recreational activities. The programs were required to include at least two of the following three activity areas:

• science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM);

• homework support and high-yield learning opportunities; and

• career exploration.

The proviso required that the entity receiving the grant must be a nonprofit corporation that has federal tax exempt status, is affiliated with a congressionally chartered organization, and meets other specified criteria, which includes providing after school and summer programs in a minimum of five communities statewide.

The proviso also required that the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) submit two reports to the Legislature outlining the programs established, target populations, and pre- and post-testing results. The OSPI's January 2017 report states that the Washington State Boys & Girls Clubs Association was approved for the AIM grant to pilot the program in five communities: East Bellevue, Mount Vernon, Spokane, Tacoma, and Vancouver. The full project period extends from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2017. As of January 2017, the five sites have served 351 youth, of which 77 percent qualify for free and reduced price lunch and 63 percent are students of color. Each participant averaged 2.5 visits per week.

Summary of Bill:

The Washington AIM program is established in statute. The purpose of the program is to enable eligible neighborhood youth development entities to provide out-of-school time programs for youth ages 6 to 18 that include educational services, mentoring, and linkages to positive, prosocial leisure, and recreational activities. The programs must be designed for mentoring and academic enrichment.

Eligible entities must meet the following requirements:

• ensure that 60 percent or more of the AIM program participants qualify for free or reduced-price lunch;

• have an existing partnership with the school district and a formalized data-sharing agreement;

• engage in a continuous program quality improvement process;

• conduct national criminal background checks for all employees and volunteers who work with children; and

• have adopted standards for care including staff training, health and safety standards, and mechanisms for assessing and enforcing the program's compliance with the standards.

Nonprofit entities applying for funding as a statewide network must:

• have an existing infrastructure or network of AIM program grant-eligible entities;

• provide after-school and summer programs with youth development services; and

• be facility-based and provide proven and tested recreational, educational, and character-building programs for children ages 6 to 18.

The OSPI must submit a report to the Legislature by December 31, 2018, and a final report by December 31, 2019. The report must outline the programs established, target populations, and pretesting and posttesting results.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed. However, the bill is null and void unless funded in the budget.