8401-S AMH KENN MCLA 51

SSCR 8401 - H AMD 416 ADOPTED 4/17/03

By Representative Kenney

   On page 1, strike everything after "WHEREAS," on line 1 and insert the following:

   "Collaboration and coordination among all sectors of education including but not limited to prekindergarten, the K-12 system, the community and technical college system, the four-year colleges and universities, and the independent colleges and private career schools are essential to developing an educated citizenry;

   WHEREAS, The education and higher education committees of the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives each intend separately to examine issues of strategic planning, coordination, and governance for the K-12 and postsecondary education systems during the 2003 legislative interim; and

   WHEREAS, A forum should be created to expand collaboration among educational sectors, starting with the education oversight committees of the Legislature;

   NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the State of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That the Senate committee on education, the Senate committee on higher education, the House of Representatives committee on education, and the House of Representatives committee on higher education shall convene a joint work session along with education and higher education stakeholders before December 31, 2003; and

   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the purpose of the joint work session shall be for the committees and stakeholders to share the findings and recommendations of their interim work on strategic planning, coordination, and governance in K-12 and postsecondary education and to discuss common topics and themes that cross educational sectors, including the readiness of the state's higher education institutions to meet the anticipated needs of students educated in a standards-based K-12 environment; the need for college admissions to be aligned with K-12 standards and assessments; and what changes in the education environment will reduce the need for remediation as students are placed in college courses; and

   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, At the joint work session, the committees and stakeholders shall discuss opportunities for further collaboration in policy development and oversight of the various educational sectors in Washington."

EFFECT: Replaces the interim work group with an interim work session of the House and Senate Education and Higher Education committees, along with stakeholders, to be held prior to December 31, 2003. Instead of developing recommendations for a Master Plan for Education, the committees and stakeholders will share findings and recommendations from their separate work on strategic planning, coordination, and governance in K-12 and higher education and discuss common topics that cross education sectors. The committees and stakeholders will also discuss further opportunities for collaboration and oversight.