S-4157

AN ACT Relating to natural science and wildlife education; adding new sections to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) Effective, integrated natural science and wildlife education programs provide the foundation for the development of literate children and adults, setting the stage for lifelong learning. Furthermore, integrated natural science and wildlife education offers many opportunities for achieving excellence in our schools. Well-designed programs, integrated with the state's essential academic learning requirements, can contribute to the state's educational reform goals.

(2) Washington is fortunate to have institutions and programs that currently provide quality natural science and wildlife education and teacher training that is already integrated with the state's essential academic learning requirements.

(3) Therefore, the purpose of the natural science and wildlife education partnership trust fund is to further the development of natural science and wildlife education in the state by:

(a) Providing state funds, to the extent that those funds are appropriated, to match moneys or the value of in-kind services to fund proven natural science and wildlife education programs that are fully integrated with the state's essential academic learning requirements; and

(b) Disbursing money through a competitive grant-making process.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

The Washington natural science and wildlife education partnership fund is hereby created to provide natural science and wildlife education opportunities for teachers and students to help achieve the highest quality of excellence in education through compliance with the essential academic learning requirements. The fund shall be in the custody of the state treasurer. Receipts from appropriations must be deposited into the fund. Expenditures from the fund shall be made by grants by the superintendent of public instruction. Only the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee may authorize expenditures from the fund. The fund is subject to the allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

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 establish and publish funding criteria for natural science and wildlife education grants. These criteria shall be based on compliance with the essential academic learning requirements. The criteria must also include natural science and wildlife education programs with one or more of the following features:

(a) Methods that encourage critical thinking;

(b) Integrated, interdisciplinary approaches to natural science and wildlife conservation issues;

(d) Programs that reach out to schools across the state that would otherwise not have access to specialized natural science or wildlife conservation programs.

(2) Eligible uses of grants include, but are not limited to:

(a) Continuing in-service and preservice training for educators with materials specifically developed to enable educators to teach integrated essential academic learning requirements in a compelling and effective manner;

(b) Proven, innovative programs that teach integrated essential academic learning requirements, especially those that emphasize natural science and wildlife conservation and meet the needs of varying learning styles; and

(3) Funds may only be disbursed to nonprofit organizations that can provide matching funds or in-kind services.