HOUSE BILL REPORT

                     SHB 1811

                              As Passed House

                               March 20, 1991

Title:  An act relating to student motivation programs.

Brief Description:  Affecting student motivation programs.

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Valle, Neher, Cole, R. Johnson, Ebersole, Jones, Orr, Sheldon, Rasmussen, Franklin, Brumsickle, Hine and O'Brien; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction).

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Education, March 6, 1991, DPS;

Passed House, March 20, 1991, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1811 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 17 members:  Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Brough, Ranking Minority Member; Vance, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Betrozoff; Broback; Brumsickle; Cole; Dorn; Holland; P. Johnson; Jones; Neher; Orr; Rasmussen; Roland; and H. Sommers.

Staff:  Susan Kirkpatrick (786-7291).

Background:  Under current law, school districts are required to report dropout statistics on an annual basis to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI).  The reports must include: a) the dropout rates of students in each of the grades nine through 12; b) dropout rates for student populations, by ethnicity, in each of the grades nine through 12; and c) the causes or reasons for the dropout.

SPI is authorized to grant funds to selected school districts to assist in the development of student motivation, retention, and retrieval programs for youth who are at risk of dropping out of school or who have dropped out of school.

Summary of Bill:  School districts are required to account for the educational progress of each of its students and to specify the following for each student enrolled in the school district's high school programs: the number of students:

a)eligible for graduation in fewer than four years;

b)who graduate in four years;

c)who remain in school for more than four years but who eventually graduate and the number of students who remain in school for more than four years but do not graduate;

d)who transfer to other schools;

e)who enter from other schools

f)in the ninth through 12th grade who drop out of school over a four-year period; and

g)whose status is unknown.

The dropout rates to be reported to SPI by student populations for grades nine through 12 must include reference to ethnicity, gender and socio-economic status.

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 14, 1991.

Appropriation:  Removed.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  There are three different parts to the bill.  One part is the dropout data collection.  It has become obvious that SPI needs different data to find out what is happening in order to get 100 percent accountability.  There is no fiscal impact to this part.  The second part is the Summer Motivation and Academic Residential Training (SMART)  Program.  The SMART Program has been in operation for several years in the budget, not in the statute.  The money previously went to the Higher Education Coordinating Board.  SPI is asking that is be included in its budget.  The SMART Program has been very successful.  The third part is the Dropout Retention and Retrieval Program.  It is being done now.  There is a significant appropriation request associated with this program.  We need to make sure these kids graduate from high school and become successful citizens.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Representative Valle, prime sponsor; Marcia Costello, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Al Rasp, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Chris McElroy, Steering Committee of SMART, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Zeb Hallman, student; Sue Kitchell, Job Training Partnership Act; Billie Reynolds, student; Dr. Saunie Taylor, Western Washington University; Terry Pickeral, Western Washington University; Robert Hardes, Washington State University; and Tom Ryan, Tacoma-Pierce County Private Industry Council.