BILL REQ. #:  H-4352.1 

Read first time 01/25/10.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to providing assistance to reduce truancy; adding a new section to chapter 28A.225 RCW; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28A.225 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) School districts may apply and the office of the superintendent of public instruction may select up to five school district applicants to participate in a six-year attendance and graduation coach demonstration project. Selections shall be made by August 31, 2010. The project shall commence with the 2010-11 school year and continue through the 2015-16 school year.
     (2) For the duration of the demonstration project, participating school districts may, but are not required to, adhere to the duties, responsibilities, and timelines in RCW 28A.225.015 (2) and (3), 28A.225.020, and 28A.225.030. Any petition filed with a juvenile court by a participating school district remains subject to the petition requirements in this chapter except for the timelines in RCW 28A.225.015(3) and 28A.225.030(1).
     (3) Annual allocation to a participating school district from amounts appropriated in the operating budget to the administrator for the courts for allocation by the office of the superintendent of public instruction to school districts for truancy petitions shall be based on the greater of:
     (a) The actual number of petitions filed during the year; or
     (b) The annual average number of petitions previously filed by the participating school district during the 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09 school years.
     (4) A school district seeking to participate must submit an application that includes:
     (a) A description of the intervention, student support, and case management and tracking services plan that will be implemented at the elementary, middle, and high school levels to reduce absenteeism and increase attendance and graduation rates;
     (b) The number and minimum qualifications of certificated or classified staff persons at the elementary, middle, and high school levels who will provide the intervention, student support, and case management and tracking services.
     (5) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish criteria to evaluate the applications and select the participating school districts.
     (6) A participating district must implement the plan proposed in its application. Any amendments to the plan must receive approval from the office of the superintendent of public instruction before implementation.
     (7) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall monitor participating school districts to ensure that each district implements the intervention, student support, and case management and tracking services plan proposed in that district's application and any approved amendments.
     (8) A district determined by the office of the superintendent of public instruction to be in noncompliance shall be notified that its participation has been discontinued. Following receipt of notification, the district must adhere to all of the duties, responsibilities, and timelines in RCW 28A.225.015 (2) and (3), 28A.225.020, and 28A.225.030. Allocations to a school district for which participation has been discontinued for noncompliance shall be based on the number of petitions actually filed.
     (9) The attendance and graduation coach demonstration project terminates on September 1, 2016. By December 1, 2016, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall submit a report to the education committees of the legislature regarding the project as a whole, the various plans implemented, the results by district and overall, and any recommendations.
     (10) This section expires August 1, 2017.