HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                  HB 1284

Title:  An act relating to improving K‑4 student learning.

Brief Description:  Establishing the K‑4 extended‑time grant program.

Sponsors:  Representatives Quall, Talcott, Smith, Johnson, Veloria, Sterk, Linville, Gardner, O'Brien, Kenney, Lantz, Anderson, Gombosky, Keiser, Blalock, Mason, Wood, Cody, Cole, Scott, Wolfe, Fisher, Poulsen, Cooper, Morris, Doumit, Tokuda, Kessler, Costa and D. Schmidt.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Meeting Date:  February 28, 1997.

Bill Analysis Prepared by:  Bronwyn Mauldin (786-7093).

Background:  The Education Reform Act of 1993 established the following four student  learning goals:

  1)  Reading, writing, and communication;

  2)  Mathematics, the sciences, social studies, history, geography, and the arts;

  3)  Analytical and creative thinking; and

  4)  Understanding the importance of work.

The Legislature established the Commission on Student Learning (CSL) to identify the knowledge and skills required to meet each of those goals.  The Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs) created by the commission provide benchmarks to show how students should be performing at certain grade levels for each goal.  CSL is developing an assessment system which will be used at grades four, seven, and ten to determine whether students are achieving the essential academic learning requirements.  The assessment system must also be designed to be used by educators to initiate appropriate educational support for students who have not mastered the essential academic learning requirements.  CSL plans to pilot test its fourth grade assessments for Goal 1 and mathematics this year. 

Currently, the Learning Assistance Program (LAP) provides assistance to students in kindergarten through grade nine who are scoring below grade level in basic skills, and are at the greatest risk of not meeting the state goals.  LAP programs may include classroom assistants, counseling, and tutoring before or after school, or on Saturdays.  Title I of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act also provides funds to school districts to improve student educational performance among educationally deprived students from areas with high concentrations of children from low-income families.

Summary of Bill:  A K-4 Extended-Time Grant Program is established.  The purpose of the program is to ensure that students achieve EALR benchmark standards for the fourth grade.  Schools, school districts, and educational service districts may apply for extended-time grants to fund programs that educators and parents establish and operate outside of school hours for children from kindergarten to grade 4.  The grant programs may include but are not limited to before-school, after-school, Saturday, or summer-school programs. 

Preference must be given to grant applications whose planned activities include the following:

CParticipation by the school building in the fourth grade assessment;

CLinks to the EALRs for reading, writing, communications, and mathematics;

CService to students who are not otherwise eligible for learning assistance and who are having difficulty mastering the essential academic learning requirements;

CParental participation;

CCollaboration between teachers in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the programs;

CMeasurements of student improvement tied to the extended-time program;

CMatching funds or in-kind support equal to at least 30% of the total grant;

CEvaluation of the extended-time practices and lessons learned;

CSharing information on the extended-time program between buildings, school districts, or educational service districts; and

CAny additional criteria the K-4 Extended-time Education Committee develops.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction must administer the Extended-time Grant Program.  The Superintendent must appoint a K-4 Extended-time Education Committee to develop an application and review process for awarding the grants.  The committee must be composed of 5 representatives of parents or students, 2 curriculum coordinators representing educational service districts, 3 representatives chosen by the Superintendent, and 5 school district representatives.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction must report to the legislature and Governor by December 1 of each odd-numbered year on how many students have participated in local extended-time programs, and provide analysis of the programs= success in meeting the required criteria. 

The Superintendent must make the first round of extended-time grants by February 1, 1998.

Appropriation:  If specific funding is not provided by June 30, 1997, this program is null and void.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date: This bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.