H-0504.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1165
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Representatives Wineberry, Brough, Peery, Holland, Dorn, Appelwick, Locke, Betrozoff, Valle, Ebersole, Pruitt, Brekke, Phillips, Anderson, Ferguson, Winsley, Rasmussen, Vance, Paris, May, Zellinsky and Mitchell.
Read first time January 21, 1991. Referred to Committee on Education\ Appropriations.
AN ACT Relating to optional four-quarter educational programs in grades kindergarten through twelve; adding a new section to chapter 28A.410 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.150 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.405 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.225 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 28A.410.080; and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the current school year schedule is based on an agrarian society that is no longer relevant for many students and parents. During the three-month summer vacation, children lose too much knowledge and information that must be relearned the following fall.
The legislature further finds that the current summer programs place too much emphasis on remediation and "catching-up," and not enough emphasis on increasing academic excellence. In addition, current summer programs are limited in curriculum and costly for low and middle-income families. Many of these families are not able to pay the tuition or the transportation costs associated with summer school classes.
The legislature further finds that additional training, staff development, and planning time is needed to make our teachers more effective in the classroom.
It is the intent of the legislature to provide funding to school districts that want to offer four quarters of instruction per year. It is the further intent of the legislature that the fourth quarter of instruction be voluntary for students, and that school districts that provide a fourth quarter of instruction offer an assortment of classes, including remediation courses, advanced classes, and courses that are innovative and multicultural. In addition, additional learning opportunities, staff development, and planning time needs to be provided for instructional staff.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.410 RCW to read as follows:
A school year shall be one hundred eighty days or the equivalent annual minimum program hour offerings as prescribed in RCW 28A.150.220.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.150 RCW to read as follows:
A school district shall be eligible to receive a basic education allocation for each average full-time equivalent student for a fourth quarter of school attendance in excess of the one hundred eighty days or the equivalent annual minimum program hour offerings as prescribed in RCW 28A.150.220.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 28A.405 RCW to read as follows:
Depending on the availability of funds, certificated instructional staff shall be eligible to be employed for four quarters. During three quarters, certificated instructional staff shall be required to instruct students. During the fourth quarter, participating certificated instructional staff shall carry out a personal development plan including: A district, building, or classroom level curriculum development project, classroom instruction, additional college level coursework, in-service training, or special individual development projects approved by a staff development team composed of a certificated instructional staff member, parent, and principal from the staff member's school. The superintendent of public instruction shall develop rules for equitably allocating state appropriations to school districts to carry out the purpose of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 28A.225 RCW to read as follows:
Students attending school for a fourth quarter may receive additional credit to accelerate their educational program, may take enrichment courses, and may receive tutoring or assistance to allow them to maintain or improve specific skills or to fulfill requirements.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The sum of .......... dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of section 3 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The sum of .......... dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of section 4 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. RCW 28A.410.080 and 1969 ex.s. c 223 s 28A.01.025 are each repealed.