HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                  HB 1810

Brief Description: Revising provision for funding additional education centers.

Background:

Education Centers

The Legislature created education centers for public school drop-outs.  Education centers operate on a client-centered basis, with specific attention given to diagnosing the students learning needs and improving the students motivation and academic performance.  Certified teachers must provide instruction.  Students may take the general educational development (GED) test or reenter public school if they demonstrate satisfactory performance.  Students must have dropped out of school for 30 days prior to applying, or be referred to an education center by a public school official prior to being out of school 30 days.  Students who been expelled or suspended may enroll in education centers.

Funding

The State Board of Education is responsible for certifying the instruction program for providing academic skills for each education center.   The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction is responsible for allocating funds to centers meeting the criteria specified in RCW.205.070 (Section 1 of this proposed legislation) from legislative appropriations.  If a new or additional education center is certified by the State Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall provide funding only if there has been a corresponding increase in the appropriations for education centers in the preceding biennium or there are sufficient funds in the current appropriation to allow minimally acceptable levels of service at the existing funded centers.  

Summary:  Current policy is amended to direct the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide an exception for funding existing and new education centers as provided in the appropriations act.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 19, 1997.