Brief Description: Creating the apple award program.

Sponsors: Representatives P. Sullivan and Santos.

Hearing Date: 2/21/05

Staff: Susan Morrissey (786-7111).

Background:

By law, each year, public school students in the fourth, seventh, and tenth grades must take the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) in reading, writing, and mathematics. Beginning in the 2005-06 school year, WASL's in reading and mathematics will be added in the third, fifth, sixth, and eighth grades as well. Students in the fifth, eighth, and tenth 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 of Bill:

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 on the fourth grade reading, writing, and mathematics 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.

$500,000 is appropriated from the education construction account for the 2005-07 biennium for the Apple Awards.

Appropriation: The sum of $500,000.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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