S-1520.1          _______________________________________________

                            SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5382

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators Rinehart, Bailey, Erwin, Murray, A. Smith, Talmadge, Pelz, L. Kreidler, Bauer, Stratton, Wojahn, Rasmussen and Skratek).

Read first time February 20, 1991.Changing provisions in the early childhood education and assistance program.

     AN ACT Relating to early childhood education; amending RCW 28A.215.100 and 28A.215.180; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     Sec. 1.  RCW 28A.215.100 and 1985 c 418 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

     It is the intent of the legislature to establish a preschool state education and assistance program.  This special assistance program is a voluntary enrichment program to help prepare some children to enter the common school system and shall be offered only as funds are available to all eligible children not served by a comparable federally funded program.  This program is not a part of the basic program of education which must be fully funded by the legislature under Article IX, section 1 of the state Constitution.

     Sec. 2.  RCW 28A.215.180 and 1990 c 33 s 214 are each amended to read as follows:

     ((For the purposes of RCW 28A.215.100 through 28A.215.200 and 28A.215.900 through 28A.215.908, the department may award state support under RCW 28A.215.100 through 28A.215.160 to increase the numbers of eligible children assisted by the federal or state-supported preschool programs in this state by up to five thousand additional children.  Priority shall be given to groups in those geographical areas which include a high percentage of families qualifying under the federal "at risk" criteria.))  The overall program funding level shall be based on an average grant per child consistent with state appropriations made for program costs:  PROVIDED, That programs addressing special needs of selected groups or communities shall be recognized in the department's rules.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.      The sum of fourteen million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the department of community development to increase the number of children served in the early childhood education and assistance program.