H-5072.1 _______________________________________________
SECOND SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2604
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State of Washington 55th Legislature 1998 Regular Session
By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Mason, Radcliff, Johnson, Carlson, Kessler, Sheahan, Van Luven, Cole, Dickerson, Butler, Hatfield, Kenney, O'Brien, Chopp, Keiser, Anderson, Ogden, Costa, Quall and Gombosky)
Read first time 02/09/98. Referred to Committee on .
AN ACT Relating to parent participation in education; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that there is a need for greater parent participation in children's education. The legislature further finds that effective communication between home and school increases academic achievement, improves parental management of a child's education, and assists in the seamless transition between primary, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education levels.
(2) The office of superintendent of public instruction, with assistance from the higher education coordinating board, shall study and make recommendations to the governor, the house of representatives and senate education and higher education committees, school districts, parent-teacher-student organizations, and other interested parties on parent participation, school-to-home communication, and parental management in the education of children from prekindergarten through higher education. The office of superintendent of public instruction shall:
(a) Review methods and best practices in this and other states for facilitating parent participation in education. The review should focus on methods that have been used successfully to increase academic achievement, improve student conduct and attendance, and reduce student drop-out rates in preschool and kindergarten through grade twelve. The review will also include methods and best practices for helping parents understand the postsecondary opportunities available to their children, including recommendations to help families and students become better prepared to take advantage of those opportunities;
(b) Consult widely with parent groups and parents of children of different abilities and different backgrounds, including children from rural and urban areas;
(c) Review and recommend best practices for assuring effective communication between school directors, school personnel, and parents and propose a system for communicating with parents about issues such as education reform, assessment results, and improved conduct and attendance;
(d) Research and recommend successful models for training school personnel in ways to communicate with parents and to use parent skills effectively to improve student learning; and
(e) Recommend best practices policies to ensure participation regardless of ability to pay, by parent volunteers and all students in extracurricular school events, including field trips, held during the regular school day.
(3) The office of superintendent of public instruction shall submit a final report with its findings and recommendations to the governor and the house of representatives and senate education and higher education committees by December 1, 1998. The office shall also disseminate the results of the study to school directors, school districts, parent groups, and other interested parties.
(4) This section expires December 30, 1998.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 1998, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.
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