BILL REQ. #:  S-1213.2 

Read first time 02/01/2007.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to educational opportunities in mathematics, science, and technology; amending RCW 28A.230.130 and 28A.230.130; adding new sections to chapter 28A.300 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.415 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.650 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.655 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.76 RCW; creating a new section; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that knowledge, skills, and opportunities in mathematics, science, and technology should be increased for all students in Washington. The legislature intends to embark on a comprehensive approach to foster capacity between and among the educational sectors to enable continuous and sustainable growth of the learning and teaching of mathematics, science, and technologies. The legislature intends to foster high quality mathematics, science, and technology programs to increase the number of students in the kindergarten through twelfth grade pipeline who are prepared and aspire to continue in the areas of mathematics, science, and technology, whether it be at a college, university, or in the workforce.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.230.130 and 2003 c 49 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) All public high schools of the state shall provide a program, directly or in cooperation with a community college or another school district, for students whose educational plans include application for entrance to a baccalaureate-granting institution after being granted a high school diploma. The program shall help these students to meet at least the minimum entrance requirements under RCW 28B.10.050.
     (2) All public high schools of the state shall provide a program, directly or in cooperation with a community or technical college, a skills center, an apprenticeship committee, or another school district, for students who plan to pursue career or work opportunities other than entrance to a baccalaureate-granting institution after being granted a high school diploma. These programs may:
     (a) Help students demonstrate the application of essential academic learning requirements to the world of work, occupation-specific skills, knowledge of more than one career in a chosen pathway, and employability and leadership skills; and
     (b) Help students demonstrate the knowledge and skill needed to prepare for industry certification, and/or have the opportunity to articulate to postsecondary education and training programs.
     (3) A middle school that receives approval from the office of the superintendent of public instruction to provide a career and technical program directly to students shall receive funding at the same rate as a high school operating a similar program.
     (4) The state board of education, upon request from local school districts, may grant waivers from the requirements to provide the program described in subsections (1) and (2) of this section for reasons relating to school district size and the availability of staff authorized to teach subjects which must be provided. In considering waiver requests related to programs in subsection (2) of this section, the state board of education shall consider the extent to which the school district has offered such programs before the 2003-04 school year.

Sec. 3   RCW 28A.230.130 and 2006 c 263 s 407 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) All public high schools of the state shall provide a program, directly or in cooperation with a community college or another school district, for students whose educational plans include application for entrance to a baccalaureate-granting institution after being granted a high school diploma. The program shall help these students to meet at least the minimum entrance requirements under RCW 28B.10.050.
     (2) All public high schools of the state shall provide a program, directly or in cooperation with a community or technical college, a skills center, an apprenticeship committee, or another school district, for students who plan to pursue career or work opportunities other than entrance to a baccalaureate-granting institution after being granted a high school diploma. These programs may:
     (a) Help students demonstrate the application of essential academic learning requirements to the world of work, occupation-specific skills, knowledge of more than one career in a chosen pathway, and employability and leadership skills; and
     (b) Help students demonstrate the knowledge and skill needed to prepare for industry certification, and/or have the opportunity to articulate to postsecondary education and training programs.
     (3) A middle school that receives approval from the office of the superintendent of public instruction to provide a career and technical program directly to students shall receive funding at the same rate as a high school operating a similar program.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     In an effort to increase precollege and prework interest in math, science, and technology fields, the center for the improvement of student learning within the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in collaboration with the community and technical colleges, the four-year institutions of higher education, and the workforce training and education coordinating board, shall conduct outreach efforts to attract middle and high school students to careers in math, science, and technology and to educate students about the coursework that is necessary to be adequately prepared to succeed in these fields.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Subject to the availability of funds, the superintendent of public instruction shall obtain a statewide license, or otherwise obtain and disseminate, an interactive, project-based high school and middle school technology curriculum that includes a comprehensive professional development component for teachers and, if possible, counselors, and also includes a systematic program evaluation.
     (2) The curriculum must be distributed to all school districts, or as many as feasible, by the 2007-08 school year.
     (3) Subject to the availability of funds, the superintendent of public instruction shall award grants to one hundred school teams to participate in the professional development training during the summer of 2007 and one hundred school teams to participate during the summer of 2008. School teams shall be comprised of, at a minimum, a teacher, who could be a career and technical teacher, and a counselor.
     (4) By December 1, 2009, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must report to the legislature on the program's impact on student performance.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     The superintendent of public instruction shall provide support for statewide coordination for math, science, and technology, including employing a statewide director for math, science, and technology. The duties of the director shall include, but not be limited to:
     (1) Reviewing integrated math, science, technology, and engineering curriculum and programs, introducing curriculum to school districts, and evaluating methods to facilitate the implementation of successful curriculum and programs in every school district that is interested in participating;
     (2) Subject to available funds, supporting a public-private partnership to assist school districts with implementing an ongoing, inquiry-based science program that is based on a research-based model of systemic reform and aligned with the Washington state science grade level expectations;
     (3) Subject to available funds, supporting a public-private partnership to provide enriching opportunities in mathematics, engineering, and science for underrepresented students in grades kindergarten through twelve using exemplary materials and instructional approaches;
     (4) Coordinating youth opportunities in math, science, and technology, including facilitating student participation in school clubs, state-level fairs, national competitions, and encouraging partnerships between students and university faculty or industry to facilitate such student participation;
     (5) Developing and maintaining public-private partnerships to generate business and industry assistance to accomplish the following:
     (a) Increasing student engagement and career awareness, including increasing student participation in the youth opportunities in subsection (4) of this section;
     (b) Creation and promotion of student scholarships, internships, and apprenticeships;
     (c) Provision of relevant teacher experience and training, including on-the-job professional development opportunities;
     (d) Upgrading kindergarten through twelfth grade school equipment and facilities to support high quality math, science, and technology programs;
     (6) Assembling a cadre of inspiring speakers employed or experienced in the relevant fields to speak to kindergarten through twelfth grade students to demonstrate the breadth of the opportunities in the relevant fields as well as share the types of coursework that is necessary for someone to be successful in the relevant field;
     (7) Providing technical assistance to schools and school districts, including working with counselors in support of the math, science, and technology programs; and
     (8) Reporting annually to the legislature about the actions taken to provide statewide coordination for math, science, and technology.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   A new section is added to chapter 28A.415 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Subject to available funding, a mathematics and science instructional coaches demonstration project is created. The project shall be in place for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years. Funding shall be used to provide grants to schools and districts to provide salaries, benefits, and professional development activities to instructional coaches in middle and high school mathematics and science. Each instructional coach shall receive five days of training at a coaching institute before being assigned to serve two schools each. These coaches shall attend meetings during the year to further their training and assist with coordinating statewide training in mathematics and science.
     (2) Subject to available funding, the Washington state institute for public policy shall evaluate the effectiveness of the demonstration projects and report its findings to the legislature by December 1, 2009.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   A new section is added to chapter 28A.650 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature shall annually provide state funds to school districts in the amount of two hundred fifty dollars per each full-time equivalent student attending a public school within the school district to be used for the following purposes:
     (a) The purchase, lease, and maintenance of computers;
     (b) The purchase or upgrade of software including operating systems, productivity suites, and other essential software that give computers basic functionality;
     (c) The purchase of networking equipment, printers, copiers, and their supplies; and
     (d) The purchase and upgrade of instructional software, including one-time purchases and subscriptions, and additional hardware that enhances the instructional environment.
     (2) To be eligible to receive funding under this section, school districts shall submit a proposal for the use of funds to the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The superintendent of public instruction shall develop criteria for the approval of the proposals. The superintendent shall provide technical assistance to those districts that need assistance to gain approval of the district proposal.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9   A new section is added to chapter 28A.655 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Subject to available funding, by December 1, 2008, the superintendent of public instruction shall develop essential academic learning requirements and grade level expectations for educational technology literacy and technology fluency that identify the knowledge and skills that all public school students need to know and be able to do in the areas of technology and technology literacy. The development process shall include a review of current standards that have been developed or are used by other states and national and international technology associations. To the maximum extent possible, the superintendent shall integrate goal four and the knowledge and skill areas in the other goals in the technology essential academic learning requirements.
     (a) As used in this section, "technology literacy" means the ability to responsibly, creatively, and effectively use appropriate technology to communicate; access, collect, manage, integrate, and evaluate information; solve problems and create solutions; build and share knowledge; and improve and enhance learning in all subject areas and experiences.
     (b) Technology fluency builds upon technology literacy and is demonstrated when students: Apply technology to real-world experiences; adapt to changing technologies; modify current and create new technologies; and personalize technology to meet personal needs, interests, and learning styles.
     (2)(a) Subject to available funding, the superintendent shall obtain or develop education technology assessments that may be administered in the elementary, middle, and high school grades to assess the essential academic learning requirements for technology. The assessments shall be designed to be classroom or project-based so that they can be embedded in classroom instruction and be administered and scored by school staff throughout the regular school year using consistent scoring criteria and procedures. By the 2010-11 school year, these assessments shall be made available to school districts for the districts' voluntary use. If a school district uses the assessments created under this section, then the school district shall notify the superintendent of public instruction of the use. The superintendent shall report annually to the legislature on the number of school districts that use the assessments each school year.
     (b) Beginning December 1, 2010, and annually thereafter, the superintendent of public instruction shall provide a report to the relevant legislative committees regarding the use of the assessments.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   A new section is added to chapter 28B.76 RCW to read as follows:
     As part of the state needs assessment process conducted by the board in accordance with RCW 28B.76.230, the board shall assess the need for additional baccalaureate degree programs in Washington that specialize in teacher preparation in mathematics, science, and technology. If the board determines that there is a need for additional programs, then the board shall encourage the appropriate institutions of higher education or institutional sectors to create such a program.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   Section 2 of this act expires September 1, 2009.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 12   Section 3 of this act takes effect September 1, 2009.