S-3975.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6478

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Senators Patterson, Roach, Heavey, Prentice, Kohl, McAuliffe, Fairley, Fraser, Jacobsen, Snyder, Franklin and Kline

Read first time 01/19/98.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Assisting school districts to establish and develop educational foundations.

    AN ACT Relating to assisting school districts to establish and develop educational foundations; creating new sections; making an appropriation; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that nonprofit educational foundations created to provide financial and other support to public schools can play an important role in enhancing the quality of education in Washington state.  Educational foundations are private nonprofit corporations organized to benefit education in school districts and local communities.  They are able to access private, federal, and local resources not otherwise available to public schools, to devise innovative solutions to solve problems, and to serve students in new and innovative ways.  Existing efforts supported or administered by foundations include drop-out prevention programs, innovative classroom grants, and math clubs for girls.

    The legislature further finds that while the number of public school foundations in Washington is increasing, only a small percentage of the school districts in the state are assisted by foundations. Additional leadership and support from the state in assisting in the establishment and development of foundations would increase the number of foundations, and thereby increase the number of students who would benefit from their support.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  (1) The department of community, trade, and economic development shall enter into a contract with one or more organizations or individuals to provide support, guidance, training, and technical assistance to individuals and organizations for the establishment and development of nonprofit educational foundations established to provide financial support and services to assist public schools.

    (2) The department shall solicit contract proposals from the following:  Washington state school directors' association, Washington coalition of public schools foundations, northwest development officers association, Washington association of partners in education, and other individuals and organizations that have the appropriate experience and expertise.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The sum of forty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, from the general fund to the department of community, trade, and economic development for the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  This act expires June 30, 2000.

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