Title: An act relating to creating a comprehensive guidance, counseling, and planning program in schools.

Brief Description: Encouraging the creation of a comprehensive guidance, counseling, and planning program in schools.

Sponsors: Representatives Anderson, Talcott, Rodne and Hunter.

Brief History:

Education: 1/18/06, 2/1/06 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 12 members: Representatives Quall, Chair; P. Sullivan, Vice Chair; Talcott, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Curtis, Haigh, Hunter, McDermott, Priest, Santos, Tom and Wallace.

Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).

Background:

The Franklin Pierce School District in Tacoma has developed a comprehensive model of student guidance for middle and high school students called Navigation 101. The Navigation 101 model includes a class that provides students with planning skills, career exploration opportunities, portfolio development, and self-assessment of students' academic accomplishments, interests, abilities, and learning styles. Teachers and students in Navigation 101 classes stay together throughout the students' four-year high school career. Students lead annual conferences with their parents and mentor teacher, during which they explain past performance and make future plans. The district does not set its annual class schedule until students make their course selections. Since implementation of Navigation 101, the district reports a significant increase in parent participation at student conferences; an increase in student requests to enroll in more challenging mathematics and science courses; and improvement in student performance.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) has encouraged other school districts to adopt a Navigation 101 model for student guidance. The SPI reports that at least 12 other districts have adopted the model with advice and implementation support from Franklin Pierce. An unknown number of additional schools and districts have implemented one or more aspects of the model, such as student-led conferences or four-year mentor teachers.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

The Legislature encourages each middle school, junior high, and high school to implement a comprehensive guidance, counseling, and planning program. The purpose of the program is to:

• support students as they navigate their education and plan their future;
• encourage an ongoing, personal relationship with an adult in the school; and
• involve parents in students' educational decisions and plans.

A comprehensive guidance, counseling, and planning program is one that contains at least the following components:

(1)   a curriculum that could include such topics as analysis of students' test results; assessments of student interests and aptitudes; goal-setting skills; planning for high school course selection; independent living skills; and postsecondary options and how to access them;

(2)   regular meetings with a teacher or counselor who serves as the student's advisor and mentor throughout their enrollment at the school;

(3)   student-led parent-teacher conferences for the purpose of demonstrating the student's accomplishments, identifying weaknesses, planning and course selection, and long-term goal setting; and

(4)   data collection that allows schools to monitor student' progress.

Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose, the SPI must develop and disseminate the program curriculum to all school districts no later than the beginning of the 2006-07 school year. The SPI must also develop and disseminate electronic student planning tools and a software package to analyze student performance; conduct regional training seminars for teachers; and monitor program implementation during the fall of 2006 in order to revise the curriculum by the spring of 2007.

The SPI must allocate a first round of implementation grants to 25 schools by December 2006, and a second round to 75 schools by January 2007. The purpose of the grants is to provide time for staff to plan and integrate the program into their schools.

By January 1, 2009, the SPI reports to the Legislature on the programs' impact on student performance.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

A comprehensive guidance, counseling, and planning program includes data collection to allow schools to monitor students' progress. Subject to the availability of funds, the SPI must disseminate the curriculum for the program; disseminate electronic planning and performance monitoring tools; conduct regional training seminars; monitor implementation and revise the curriculum; and allocate implementation grants to schools. By January 1, 2009, the SPI reports to the Legislature on the programs' impact on student performance.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested substitute bill on February 2, 2006.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: (In support) One of the most clear pieces of evidence is a need for middle and high school guidance counseling. Results from the WASL at elementary grades are improving, but seventh grade scores drop dramatically compared to fourth grade. There is no question about the value of the counseling model; the only real question is whether it is voluntary or mandatory. Encouragement must be supported by funding. There is a need for professional development for teachers to act as mentors and advisors. This represents a significant cultural shift for high schools.

(With concerns) Funding does matter. Teachers are excited about the Navigation 101 program, but the program is still evolving. It does represent additional workload.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Representative Anderson, prime sponsor; Kyra Kester, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; and Wes Pruitt, Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.

(With concerns) Gary King, Washington Education Association.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.