SENATE BILL REPORT

                  2SHB 1027

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                   Education, March 31, 1995

Title:  An act relating to redirecting resources to the classroom.

Brief Description:  Redirecting school administrative resources to the classroom.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Brumsickle, Carlson, Cooke, Ballasiotes, B. Thomas, Chandler, Lisk, Horn, Foreman, Dyer, Sehlin, Silver, Sherstad, Benton, Schoesler, Buck, Johnson, Thompson, Radcliff, Hickel, Backlund, Cairnes, Elliot, Pennington, Mastin, Carrell, Mitchell, K. Schmidt, Chappell, Smith, Honeyford, Blanton, D. Schmidt, Mulliken, McMorris, Clements, Fuhrman, Sheldon, Huff, Mielke, Talcott and McMahan).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  3/23/95, 3/31/95 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Pelz, Vice Chair; Finkbeiner, Gaspard, Hochstatter, Johnson and Rasmussen.

Staff:  Leslie Goldstein (786-7424)

Background:  The Joint Select Committee on Education Restructuring was created by the Legislature in 1993 to oversee the implementation of education reform and to conduct a review of state K-12 education laws that inhibit, or do not enhance, student learning.

Some concerns have been raised about how the school districts use their funds, and whether resources reach the students in the classroom.

Summary of Amended Bill:  Additional duties are given to the Joint Select Committee on Education Restructuring, and a School District Financial Review Program is established.

The Joint Select Committee on Education Restructuring.  The Joint Select Committee on Education Restructuring must: review the roles and responsibilities of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, the Work Force Training and Education Coordinating Board, the Commission on Student Learning, and Educational Service Districts; and recommend to the Legislature, by December 15, 1996, a revised state-level education governance system.

The Joint Select Committee may continue to review state laws that inhibit, or do not enhance, student learning, and recommend to the Legislature those laws that should be amended or repealed. 

The School District Financial Review Program.  The School District Financial Review Program is created.  The program expires December 1, 1997.  The program provides grants to school districts to conduct financial reviews and develop strategies to increase resources to the classroom.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction or a contractor designated by the superintendent administers the program.  Districts spending less than two-thirds of their state funds on teaching and teaching support have priority to receive the grants.  Districts receiving grants must provide a minimum 50 percent financial match.  Grant recipients must report to the superintendent on actions planned or taken to increase resources to the classroom.  The superintendent must report the information to the Legislature.  Appropriate legislative committees may make recommendations if inadequate progress is made in redirecting resources to the classroom.

The act is null and void if it is not specifically funded in the budget.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The language in the intent section is changed to reflect the bill as amended.  The recommendations on state-level education governance are due December 15, 1996, rather than December 15, 1995.  The select committee is authorized, but not required to, continue the review of statutes.  A review of rules is not required.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on May 1, 1995.

Testimony For:  This legislation is a carefully crafted way to help redirect dollars to the classroom.  The bill permits a report to the Legislature about the districts participating in the financial review program and the Legislature can make further recommendations.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Representative Brumsickle, original prime sponsor; Barbara Mertens, WA Association of School Administrators; Larry Davis, SBE; Dwayne Slate, WSSDA; Walter Ball, AWSP.