Background:

Federal Requirements. Federal law requires that states and school districts develop policies and set aside funds to support parent involvement in Title I schools (schools with large concentrations of students from low-income families). School districts must set aside at least 1 percent of Title I funds for parent and family engagement activities. Ninety percent of the funds must go directly to schools, with priority given to "high need" schools. Funds must be spent in specified areas, for example, on training school staff regarding engagement strategies or on programs that reach families at home, in their communities, and at school. Title I funds can be used to provide high-quality, personalized professional development for school staff to effectively engage parents, families, and community partners

State Requirements. Requirements related to parent and family involvement or engagement are woven into many state education policies, programs, and activities, for example:

Public schools are required to conduct outreach and seek feedback from parents regarding their experiences with the school, and to summarize the responses in their annual school performance report.
The evaluation system for classroom teachers and principals includes criteria related to collaborating with parents.
A student's parent or guardian is generally involved in school actions related to student placement in a new program or course, provision of supplemental supports or services, and student discipline.
"Family Engagement and Partnership" is one of five areas that child care providers caring for a non-school age child and accepting state subsidy, and contractors in the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, are rated on.

In 2010, the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning within the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) was required to determine measures to evaluate parental involvement in a school, and to highlight successful models and practices of parent involvement.

In 2016 the Legislature directed the Office of the Education Ombuds (OEO) to collaborate with the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee to recommend framework for parent and family engagement. The OEO submitted its report to the Legislature on December 1, 2016. The report did not recommend a framework, but did recommended certain steps that the Legislature could take to provide leadership, clarity, and vision in the development and sustainability of meaningful, culturally-responsive school and family partnerships.

Prototypical School Funding Formula. The prototypical school funding formula allocates funding to school districts based on assumed levels of staff and other resources necessary to support a "prototypical" school. School districts have discretion over how these state funds are spent, subject to some limits under the formula:

elementary schools receive an allocation of one parent involvement coordinator per 4,848 full-time equivalent (FTE) elementary school students. There is no allocation in the formula for middle or high schools; and
funding is also provided for guidance counselors, a function that includes parent outreach and graduation advising: one per 811 FTE elementary school students, one per 355 FTE middle school students, and one per 236 FTE high school students.

Summary of Bill:

A work group is established to create a family engagement framework for early learning through high school. At a minimum, the work group must review family engagement policies and practices in Washington and in other states, with a focus on identifying best practices that can be adopted throughout Washington.

Staff support for the work group must be provided by the OSPI and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).

The members of the work group must represent the following groups: the DCYF; the OSPI; the State Board of Education; parents of children in the state Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program or the federal Head Start Program; parents of students in elementary or secondary school; parents of students who are English learners, with at least one parent with a student in preschool and at least one parent with a student in elementary or secondary school; parents of students who are in special education; parents of students in foster care; the Office of the Education Ombuds; the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee; the state Commission on Asian Pacific American affairs; the state Commission on Hispanic affairs; the state Commission on African American affairs; the Governor's Office of Indian Affairs; the Washington State School Directors' Association; a state organization of school principals; a state organization of teachers; early childhood teachers; elementary and postsecondary teachers; and a state organization representing school counselors.

The members of the work group must elect cochairs; one cochair must be a parent and the other cochair must represent a state agency. The work group must meet monthly.

By November 1, 2021, the OSPI must report to the Legislature with a summary of the activities of the work group and its recommendations for a family engagement framework for early learning through high school.