WSR 13-19-074

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed September 17, 2013, 10:37 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Challenged schools in need of improvement criteria and process.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: E2SSB 5329, http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5329.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: As established in section 3 of E2SSB 5329, beginning in 2010 and each year thereafter, the office of superintendent of public instruction (OSPI) shall annually identify challenged schools in need of improvement and a subset of such schools that are the persistently lowest-achieving schools in the state, with this criteria being identified in rule.

The rule making for challenged schools in need of improvement criteria and process will create a unified federal and state accountability system for the lowest achieving schools in Washington. It will apply equally to Title I, Title I eligible and nonTitle I schools in the state.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The state board of education (SBE) is required under E2SSB 5329 to collaborate with OSPI on rule development, as well as the accountability framework. The SBE and OSPI have convened a E2SSB 5329 implementation team and has been meeting semi-monthly since the law went into effect (July 28, 2013).

Additionally, OSPI and the SBE have engaged in several phone conferences with the United States Department of Education regarding the revised Washington achievement index, which if approved by the United States Department of Education, will be used to identify the challenged schools in need of improvement list.

Process for Developing New Rule: Negotiated rule making.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Prior to the public hearing on the proposed rules, a web site with a feedback form will be developed and disseminated through the attached list of stakeholder groups membership lists. [No further information supplied by agency.] Feedback results will be complied [compiled], with suggestions for changes to the proposed rules addressed in a stakeholder feedback document and concise explanatory statement after the public hearing.

September 17, 2013

Randy Dorn

Superintendent of

Public Instruction