E2SSB 5843

HOUSE BILL REPORT
E2SSB 5843

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Passed House - Amended:
April 9, 2007

Sponsors: By Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Oemig, Tom, Rockefeller, Zarelli and Keiser).

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Quall, Chair; Barlow, Vice Chair; Priest, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Haigh, McDermott, Roach, Santos and P. Sullivan.

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 34 members: Representatives Sommers, Chair; Dunshee, Vice Chair; Alexander, Ranking Minority Member; Bailey, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Haler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Buri, Chandler, Cody, Conway, Darneille, Dunn, Ericks, Fromhold, Grant, Haigh, Hinkle, Hunt, Hunter, Kagi, Kenney, Kessler, Kretz, Linville, McDermott, McDonald, McIntire, Morrell, Pettigrew, Priest, Schual-Berke, Seaquist, P. Sullivan and Walsh.

Background:

In 2002, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) began developing the Core Student Record System (CSRS) which assigns each student a unique student identification number and collects demographic and other information to comply with the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The OSPI has continued to develop state data and reporting systems. In the 2006 supplemental budget, the OSPI received a $2.9 million appropriation along with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to begin developing a statewide longitudinal data system.

The long-term goal of this system is that reliable information will be regularly submitted and available for analysis and use by school districts and others regarding student course-taking patterns, student transcripts, teacher qualifications and assignments, and other information. The OSPI has just completed a pilot phase of the new system with selected school districts and one Educational Service District.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) issued a preliminary report in January 2007 on K-12 data. The JLARC recommended improved collection of information about teachers and student courses, including development of a statewide naming convention for courses.

Summary of Amended Bill:

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction is authorized to establish a longitudinal student data system for school districts. Personally identifiable student data must be protected according to applicable federal and state laws, and, consistent with these laws, data may be disclosed for educational purposes and studies.

An education data center is established in the Office of Financial Management, and shall conduct joint research and analysis with the Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program regarding education issues across the P-20 system. To that end the data center will identify needed data elements and work with other state education agencies to compile and analyze education data, and also work with a variety of other agencies to develop data-sharing and research agreements.

Beginning with the 2008-09 school year, school districts must submit teacher and student identification data for each class offered in each school. The OSPI shall conduct a feasibility study on expanding the longitudinal data system to include additional data elements. The study shall involve one small district and one large district, and a final report on the results of the study shall be provided to the Legislature by November 1, 2008.

The OSPI shall develop standards for school data systems for validation and verification of data. The OSPI shall also develop a reporting format and instructions for school districts to collect and submit student demographic data that is broken down by ethnic categories.

The OSPI may accept applications for educator certification submitted using an electronic signature from the applicant.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed. However, the bill is null and void unless funded in the budget.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: (Education)

(In support) The state spends a lot of money on education, but we have a limited budget to allocate to an unlimited menu of costly options. It is therefore important to maximize the value of the money spent. To do that, we must quantify the value of each option. High quality data is essential to that process, and will ultimately allow for new opportunities for improvement. Today's data only tells us which kids are not succeeding, but this bill will enable data collection that can help tell us why those kids are not succeeding. This bill will make data collection easier, while providing better data. This bill is a staged rollout that will make the final process more efficient and effective. Although a broader approach might be even better, this bill is a good first step toward a comprehensive data system.

There are other data collection bills being considered this session, so it will be important to make sure that there is coordination between the different bills before final passage. Additional specificity in the development of the data elements, as well as reference to the major data software vendors, may be considered to improve the bill.

(With concerns) Although this is a pilot project, there could be potential funding issues when the program is rolled out statewide.

(Opposed) None.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: (Appropriations)

(In support) We generally support this bill. However, I have not seen the striking amendments, so I can't speak to those. We would like to see consistent data in the state, including a common platform between the OSPI and school districts. You have the right players at the table to accomplish this objective.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: (Education) (In support) Nasue Nishida, Professional Educator Standards Board; Kyra Kester, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Bob Cooper, Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; and Marcia Fromhold, the Washington School Information Processing Cooperative and Educational School District 112.

(With concerns) Mitch Denning, Alliance of Educational Associations.

Persons Testifying: (Appropriations) Bob Cooper, Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.