Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Education Committee

HB 2108

Brief Description:  Providing school districts the opportunity to waive fees for traffic safety education.

Sponsors:  Representatives Talcott, Haigh, Kenney, Santos and Schual‑Berke.

Hearing Date:  2/22/01

Staff:  Sydney Forrester (786‑7120).

Background: 

School districts are not required to offer traffic safety education but most districts do so.  Currently 244 districts offer traffic safety education, which necessarily includes a driver training component.  A few districts also coordinate efforts and provide a single program to students from one or more districts. 

The average cost per pupil is $434.  The average individual student fee is $148.  The state contributes $137, and makes an additional $67 available to low income students on the same eligibility criteria as is used for free and reduced meals.  The district pays an average $149, less any off-set for low-income students.

In the 1999-2000 school year approximately 67,000 students took the tenth-grade Washington assessment of student learning for reading.  Of these, approximately 40,000 met or exceeded the standard.  During the same period, approximately 64,300 students took the tenth-grade WASL for writing; approximately 20,400 met or exceeded the standard.

Summary of Bill: 

A school district may waive the fee for its traffic safety and driver training program for students who have demonstrated an ability to write with skill and read with comprehension.  A student may demonstrate these abilities by meeting or exceeding the state=s reading and writing standards as defined by the academic achievement commission. 

The academic achievement commission shall determine the level of achievement required on the tenth-grade WASL, a norm-referenced test, or an alternative assessment.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note: Requested February 21, 2001.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.