H-0538.3 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1284
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 55th Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By 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
Read first time 01/21/97. Referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to improving K-4 student learning; adding new sections to chapter 28A.300 RCW; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that research has indicated that children's success or failure in school is determined by the amount of time they engage in constructive learning activities and that student learning is strongly influenced by the degree of parental involvement in the student's education. The legislature also finds that the student learning goals in RCW 28A.150.210 and the essential academic learning requirements developed under RCW 28A.630.885 create new learning challenges, especially for students for whom no extra instructional support exists. The legislature intends to establish a program to increase the number of students who reach the essential academic learning requirements at fourth grade for reading, writing, communications, and mathematics, as measured by the fourth grade assessment and classroom-based assessments.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
(1) For purposes of this section, "K-4" means kindergarten through fourth grade.
(2) A K-4 extended-time grant program is established to improve student learning consistent with the student learning goals in RCW 28A.150.210 and the essential academic learning requirements developed under RCW 28A.630.885. The purpose of the extended-time program is to ensure that K-4 students have obtained the basic skills required to achieve the essential learning targets in the fourth grade. To the extent funds are appropriated, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide K-4 extended-time grants beginning in the 1997-98 school year. The program must be designed to enable educators and parents of selected schools to establish and operate extended-time programs for children in grades K-4, including, but not limited to, before-school or after-school programs, Saturday school programs, or summer school programs. The grant program must include an evaluation of the projects and a way to measure student academic improvement resulting from the extended-time activity.
(3) Schools, school districts, and educational service districts may apply for K-4 extended-time grants. Initial applications to participate in the K-4 extended-time program shall be submitted to the office of the superintendent of public instruction not later than December 1, 1997. Subject to available funding, additional applications may be submitted to the superintendent of public instruction by September 1st of subsequent years.
(4) The superintendent of public instruction shall appoint a K-4 extended-time education committee to develop an application and review process for awarding the extended-time grants established in this section. The committee shall be appointed by the superintendent of public instruction and shall consist of five representatives of parents or students, two curriculum coordinators representing educational service districts, three representatives chosen by the superintendent of public instruction, and five school district representatives. Committee members shall serve without additional compensation but are eligible for per diem and mileage allowances under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
(5) In evaluating applications, the K-4 extended-time education committee shall give preference to applications that propose to include the following:
(a) Participation by the school building in the fourth grade assessment developed by the commission on student learning;
(b) Link the extended-time activities, including instructional practices, to the essential academic learning requirements for reading, writing, communications, and mathematics;
(c) Provide extended-time services to students who are not otherwise eligible for learning assistance and who are having difficulty mastering the essential academic learning requirements;
(d) Include parental participation in the extended-time activity;
(e) Involve collaboration between teachers of kindergarten through fourth grade in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the extended-time activities;
(f) Measure student academic improvement that can be attributed to the extended-time program through any combination of the following pre-test and post-test measures, including, but not limited to, performance assessments, running records, miscue analysis, and interest inventory;
(g) Include matching funds or in-kind support equal to at least thirty percent of the total grant application from public and private sources, including, but not limited to, school districts and parents of students participating in the extended-time program. In-kind support may include instructional assistance, facilities, textbooks, teaching aids, or other forms of assistance that would benefit the extended-time activity;
(h) Include an evaluation of the effectiveness of the extended-time practices and lessons learned;
(i) Share information on the extended-time program school between buildings, school districts, or educational service districts during program development, implementation, or evaluation; and
(j) Any additional criteria that the K-4 extended-time education committee decides is important to the overall success of the program.
(6) The superintendent of public instruction shall work with the participating school districts and educational service districts in developing reporting requirements to the superintendent of public instruction that reflect the considerations in subsection (5) of this section.
(7) The superintendent of public instruction shall submit biennially to the legislature and the governor a report on K-4 extended-time programs. The first report must be submitted not later than December 1, 1999, and each succeeding report must be submitted not later than December 1st of each odd-numbered year. Reports must include information on how many students have or are participating in the local programs and an analysis of the reported success of the programs in meeting the considerations in subsection (5) of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall administer section 2 of this act and may award grant funding, subject to money being appropriated by the legislature for this purpose. The superintendent of public instruction shall award the first round of extended-time grants based on the recommendation of the K-4 extended-time education committee by February 1, 1998, and make future awards not later than February 1st in successive years. No more than fifty percent of funds appropriated may be allocated in the first round of awards. The superintendent of public instruction may use up to one percent of the appropriated funds for administration of the extended-time grant program established in chapter . . ., Laws of 1997 (this act).
(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt timelines and rules as necessary under chapter 34.05 RCW to administer the program.
(3) Funding under this section shall not become a part of the state's basic program of education obligation as set forth under Article IX of the state Constitution.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If specific funding for sections 2 and 3 of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number and section number, is not provided by June 30, 1997, in the omnibus appropriations act, sections 1, 2, and 3 of this act are null and void.
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