Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Education Committee

2SSB 5082

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: Promoting and expanding social emotional learning.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators McCoy, Hasegawa, Kuderer and Saldaña).

Brief Summary of Second Substitute Bill

  • Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to adopt the social emotional learning (SEL) standards and benchmarks.

  • Requires the Professional Educator Standards Board to incorporate the adopted SEL standards and benchmarks along the entire career continuum of knowledge, skill, and performance standards for effective teaching, to the extent possible.

  • Creates the SEL committee with specified members and duties, subject to state funding.

Hearing Date: 3/14/19

Staff: Megan Wargacki (786-7194).

Background:

Social Emotional Learning. Social emotional learning (SEL) is the process of developing and applying the skills, attitudes, behavior, and knowledge that afford individuals the opportunity to identify and regulate emotions and behaviors, form meaningful relationships, and make responsible decisions.

The 2015 Operating Budget directed the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to convene a work group to recommend comprehensive benchmarks for developmentally appropriate interpersonal and decision-making knowledge and skills of SEL for kindergarten through twelfth grade. The work group's recommendations were included in its October 1, 2016, final report. In 2016 the OSPI designed online education modules to develop educators, administrators, other professionals, and students' families knowledge of SEL and integrating it in classrooms.

The 2017 Operating Budget directed the OSPI to continue this work group and to: identify and articulate grade-level developmental indicators for each of the SEL benchmarks; solicit feedback from stakeholders; and develop a model of best practices or guidance for schools on implementing the benchmarks and indicators. The work group must submit recommendations by June 30, 2019.

Teacher Standards. The Professional Educator Standards Board is required to adopt a set of articulated teacher knowledge, skill, and performance standards for effective teaching that are evidence-based, measurable, meaningful, and documented in high quality research as being associated with improved student learning. The standards must be calibrated for each level along the entire career continuum. In developing the standards, the Professional Educator Standards Board must incorporate standards for cultural competency along the entire continuum, to the extent possible.

Summary of Bill:

Social Emotional Learning Committee. Subject to the state funding, the social emotional learning (SEL) committee is created to promote and expand SEL, which will help students build awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and life.

The minimum duties of the committee are to:

The SEL Committee must consist of members representing the state ethnic commissions, state agencies, education organizations, educators, parents, community members, and others. The Governor and the tribes may jointly designate two members as specified. The SEL Committee must include a representative from the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee and have a joint meeting with this committee annually.

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must provide staff support for the committee. Beginning June 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, the committee must provide a progress report to the Governor and Legislature that include accomplishments, state-level data regarding implementation of SEL, identification of systemic barriers or policy changes necessary to promote and expand SEL, and recommendations.

Social Emotional Learning Standards. The OSPI must adopt the standards and benchmarks recommended by the SEL benchmarks work group in its October 1, 2016, final report. The OSPI must align the programs it oversees with the adopted SEL standards and integrate the standards where appropriate.

The Professional Educator Standards Board must incorporate the adopted SEL standards along the entire career continuum of knowledge, skill, and performance standards for effective teaching, to the extent possible.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Preliminary fiscal note available.

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