BILL REQ. #:  H-1507.1 

Read first time 02/14/2005.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to awards for the improvement of student achievement; adding a new section to chapter 28A.655 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28A.655 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) It is the intent of the legislature, through the creation of the apple award, to honor and reward students in Washington's public elementary schools who have shown significant improvement in their school's results on the Washington assessment of student learning.
     (2) The apple award program is created to honor and reward public elementary schools that have the greatest combined average increase in the percentage of students meeting the fourth grade reading, mathematics, and writing standards on the Washington assessment of student learning each school year. The program shall be administered by the state board of education.
     (3) Each school that receives an apple award shall be provided with a twenty-five thousand dollar grant to be used for capital construction purposes that have been selected by students in the school and approved by the district's school directors. The funds may be used exclusively for capital construction projects on school property or on other public property in the community, city, or county in which the school is located.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The sum of five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, from the education construction account--state to the office of the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of this act.