HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2425

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                          Education

Title:  An act relating to incentives for high schools to adopt the international baccalaureate program.

Brief Description:  Providing incentive grants for high schools to adopt the international baccalaureate program.

Sponsors:  Representatives Elliot, Patterson, Keiser and Thompson.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Education:  1/30/96, 2/1/96 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 19 members:  Representatives Brumsickle, Chairman; Elliot, Vice Chairman; Johnson, Vice Chairman; Cole, Ranking Minority Member; Keiser, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Clements; Fuhrman; Hatfield; Linville; McMahan; Pelesky; Poulsen; Quall; Radcliff; Smith; Talcott; B. Thomas; Thompson and Veloria.

Staff:  Robert Butts (786-7111).

Background:   The International Baccalaureate program, which is voluntarily adopted by high schools, includes two years of study and a carefully controlled system of examinations.  The curriculum includes English, a foreign language, history, philosophy, chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, and an elective.  The diploma earned in the International Baccalaureate program is recognized as an automatic admission standard to colleges and universities in more than 40 nations throughout the world.

Costs associated with the program are in application fees, staff training, and the scoring of student exams.

Six high schools in Washington are involved in the program, including Foss (Tacoma), Mt. Rainier (Des Moines), Columbia River (Vancouver), Kennewick, Interlake (Bellevue), Davis (Yakima).  Edmonds-Woodway (Edmonds) has recently applied.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The Superintendent of Public Instruction is directed to award incentive grants to high schools for the purpose of adopting the International Baccalaureate program.  The grants are to be used to pay for application fees, staff training costs, and other expenses.  A local match is required.  The maximum grant is to be $25,000.  Grants are to be awarded by November 15, 1996.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  An appropriation of $100,000 was removed and a null and void clause was added.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 23, 1996.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.  However, the bill is null and void unless funded in the budget.

Testimony For:  The International Baccalaureate program prepares students for the international, high-tech, multilingual economy we have today.  It includes very high standards for students enrolled in the program, and has a demonstrated positive effect on student achievement.  For equity and accessibility purposes, it is important to have the program available in more high schools in the state.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Elliot, prime sponsor; Sharon Foster, Washington Coalition for Gifted Education (pro); Paul Dugger, Puyallup School District Administrator (pro); Eric Dugger, student (pro); Ellen Alexander, Shoreline International Education Group (pro); Kay Morison, Educational Psychologist (pro); Walter Ball, Association of School Principals (pro); Margit Moore, Educator (pro); and Anne Cronin, parent (pro).