SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 2494

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                  Education, February 22 1996

Title:  An act relating to including kindergarten in the approval of private schools.

Brief Description:  Amending the duty of the state board of education to approve private schools to include kindergarten.

Sponsors:  Representatives Poulsen, Brumsickle and Carlson; by request of Board of Education.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  2/15/96, 2/22/96 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

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

Staff:  Susan Mielke (786-7422)

Background: Under current law, the State Board of Education is the state entity that approves private schools.  State approval is granted to private schools meeting the statutory standards for approval and offering programs for any or all of grades one through 12.  The approval process does not extend to kindergarten or pre-kindergarten programs.

The Department of Social and Health Services is the state entity that licenses child day care centers.  Licenses are granted to facilities regularly providing care for a group of children for periods of less than 24 hours.  Schools that are engaged primarily in education are not required to get a day care license.

There is some concern that since private school kindergarten programs are not approved by the State Board of Education the private school should be required to get a day care license.

Summary of Bill:  The State Board of Education has the authority to include kindergarten program offerings in the approval of private schools.  No private school may be approved that only operates a kindergarten program.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Technically private school kindergarten programs could be required to obtain DSHS day care licensing requirements.  The bill will identify kindergarten programs that will not be required to meet the DSHS day care licensing requirements.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Lynn Faherty, WA Federation of Independent Schools (pro); Millard Battles, SBE (pro).