FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1829

C 270 L 11

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Creating an office of Native education within the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

Sponsors: House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Billig, Santos, Haigh, Probst, Sells, Kenney, Reykdal, Maxwell, Stanford, Morris, Hasegawa, Ryu, McCoy, Hunt, Moscoso, Hope, Appleton and Ormsby).

House Committee on Education

Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education

Background:

Although not required by statute, for over 50 years there has been an Indian Education Office within the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). The mission of the Indian Education Office is to:

• provide leadership, technical assistance, and advocacy to promote academic success for all students; and

• encourage, promote, and develop strategies to infuse the teaching of Native history, culture, language, and government in Washington's schools.

Summary:

To the extent funds are available, an Indian Education Division, to be known as the Office of Native Education (Office), is created within the OSPI. The Superintendent of Public Instruction (Superintendent) must appoint an individual to be responsible for the Office.

To the extent state funds are available, and with additional support from federal and local funds where authorized by law, the Office must:

• provide assistance to school districts in meeting the educational needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students;

• facilitate the development and implementation of curricula and instructional materials in native languages, culture and history, and the concept of tribal sovereignty;

• provide assistance to districts in the acquisition of funding to develop curricula and instructional materials in conjunction with Native language practitioners and tribal elders;

• coordinate technical assistance for public schools that serve American Indian and Alaska Native students;

• seek funds to develop and implement various support services for the purposes of increasing the number of American Indian and Alaska Native teachers and principals, and providing continued professional development;

• facilitate the inclusion of Native language programs in school districts' curricula; and

• work with all relevant agencies and committees to highlight the need for accurate, useful data that is appropriately disaggregated.

The Office must also report to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Governor's Office of Indian Affairs on an annual basis, beginning in December 2012.

A Native Education Public-Private Partnership Account (Account) is created in the custody of the State Treasurer to support the activities of the Office. Only the Superintendent or his or her designee may authorize expenditures from the Account. The Account is subject to allotment procedures but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

Votes on Final Passage: