Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Education Committee

ESB 6643

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.

Brief Summary of Engrossed Bill

Permits second-class districts to submit condensed compliance reports to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
Requires the OSPI to develop a condensed compliance report form for second-class districts by July 1, 2010.
Adds a provision to numerous chapters of the common school code allowing second-class districts to satisfy any compliance reporting requirements in those chapters by submitting a condensed compliance report.

Background:

School districts are required to report a variety of information to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). These requirements appear in numerous chapters of the common school code. For instance:

Chapter 28A.160 RCW: Each October districts must submit information regarding student transportation, including the number of students transported, the number of miles, and other operational data as required.
Chapter 28A.150 RCW: Each district offering an alternative learning online program must report annually regarding the types of programs and course offerings and the number of students participating.
Chapter 28A.170 RCW: Districts receiving grants for drug and alcohol prevention activities must report on the results of required biennial evaluations of these programs.
Chapter 28A.185: Districts must report regarding the process used for identifying highly capable students and must also report program expenditures.

A second-class school district is defined as a district with fewer than 2,000 students. Almost two thirds of Washington's school districts meet this definition.

Summary of Bill:

Beginning September 1, 2010 second-class districts may annually submit a condensed compliance report to the OSPI. The term "compliance report" is not defined.

Districts that choose to submit a condensed compliance report must:

dedicate a public meeting for reviewing the report and receiving public testimony;
adopt the report at a public meeting; and
require the report to be signed by the district superintendent and the chair of the school board before a notary public.

Compliance requests from the Superintendent of Public Instruction not tied to funding are voluntary for second-class districts submitting a condensed compliance report. The term "compliance requests" is not defined, except that compliance requests do not include data requests required to be submitted in accordance with federal or state law, including data for a comprehensive K-12 education data improvement system.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction must develop a condensed compliance report form by July 1, 2010. This report must allow districts the option of indicating one of the following for each funded program:

the district has complied or received a State Board of Education approved waiver;
the district has not complied, accompanied by an explanation or the steps taken to comply; or
the district has received a grant for less than half of a full-time instructional staff.

The OSPI may conduct random audits of second-class districts that submit a condensed compliance report to determine whether documentation exists to support a school district superintendent's condensed compliance report.

A new section is added to 48 different chapters in the common school code, providing that any compliance reporting requirements imposed on second-class districts as a result of laws in those chapters may be satisfied in accordance with the condensed compliance reporting provisions set forth above.

A severability clause is included. If there is a conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, the conflicting part is inoperative to the extent of the conflict. Any rules adopted must meet federal requirements that are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the state.