Brief Description: Creating the apple award program.

Sponsors: By Representatives P. Sullivan and Santos.

House Committee on Education
House Committee on Capital Budget
Senate Committee on Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education
Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

Each year public school students in the fourth, seventh, and 10th grades must take the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) in reading, writing, and mathematics. Beginning in the 2005-06 school year, the WASL in reading and mathematics will be added in the third, fifth, sixth, and eighth grades as well. Students in the fifth, eighth, and 10th grades must also take the science WASL.

The 2004 Legislature provided $100,000 in the capital budget for Apple Award Construction Achievement Grants. The grants were provided to the four public elementary schools that had the greatest increase in the percentage of students who met the state standards in reading, writing, and mathematics on the WASL from the 2002-03 to the 2003-04 school year. Each school received $25,000 to use for capital construction in the school or in the community. The decision on how to use the money was made by the students.

The schools that won the awards were:

• Garden Heights Elementary, Moses Lake School District - play shelter.
• Coulee City Elementary, Coulee Hartline School District - no decision yet but the students are considering an interactive white board, an outdoor garden area, and a snow cone machine.
• Wishkah Valley Elementary, Wishkah Valley School District - no decision yet but students are leaning toward an electronic sign.
• Green Mountain Elementary, Green Mountain School District - may be multipurpose room stage improvements.

Summary:

The Apple Award program is created to honor public elementary schools that have the greatest combined average increase in the percentage of students who meet the state standard in reading, writing, and mathematics on the fourth grade WASL. The program will be administered by the State Board of Education.

Each school selected for the award will receive $25,000 to use for capital construction projects that have been selected by the school's students and approved by the school board. The projects may occur at the school or on public land in the community, city, or county. Funding for the awards is contingent upon amounts appropriated for that purpose.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   93   0
Senate   46   0   (Senate amended)
House   95   1   (House concurred)

Effective: July 24, 2005