BILL REQ. #:  H-4873.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/06/04.   

     AN ACT Relating to civics education; adding a new section to chapter 28A.600 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that students need to know and understand the structure, workings, and roots of our state and nation's democratic institutions and traditions. The legislature further finds that studies on the historical and civics knowledge of America's students suggest that too few students are learning those lessons well. The United States department of education's national assessment of education progress shows that fewer than twenty-five percent of America's students are proficient in either history or civics. In addition, while most of the states have learning standards in the two subjects, only twelve states have enough depth and breadth in the standards to ensure that students will understand their civic responsibilities and opportunities once the students reach adulthood. The legislature intends to help school districts improve instruction in civics by providing professional development for teachers and by creating an award program for students who demonstrate a strong understanding of the state's civics standards and who exhibit leadership in the civic life of their communities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.600 RCW to read as follows:
     The Daniel J. Evans civic education award is established to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of students who have demonstrated a strong understanding of the civics essential learning requirements. The students must demonstrate this understanding through completion of at least one of the classroom-based civics assessment models developed by the superintendent of public instruction, and through leadership in the civic life of their communities. The superintendent of public instruction shall annually select two students from eastern Washington and two students from western Washington to receive the award, and shall notify the governor and legislature with the names of the recipients.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   Subject to available funding, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, the superintendent of public instruction shall provide professional development grants to teachers who have used one or more of the classroom-based civics assessment models developed by the superintendent of public instruction. The grants may be used to attend state, regional, or national institutes, trainings, and conferences related to civics education, if the institutes, trainings, and conferences are covering skills and knowledge that are consistent with Washington's civics essential academic learning requirements.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   Subject to available funding, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, the superintendent of public instruction shall provide summer professional development opportunities for teachers in implementing the civics essential academic learning requirements and the classroom-based civics assessments developed by the superintendent of public instruction.