Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Education Committee |
SSB 6064
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 Description: Requiring an analysis of how school districts use school days.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators Litzow, Fain, Dammeier, Hobbs, Hill, Becker, Tom and Braun).
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill |
|
Hearing Date: 2/24/14
Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).
Background:
The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (Institute) was established to carry out practical, non-partisan research at the direction of the Legislature or its Board of Directors. Since the 1990's the Legislature has directed the Institute to identify evidence-based public policies that the research literature indicates will lead to positive outcomes and an efficient use of taxpayer dollars.
A proviso in the 2013-2015 Omnibus Appropriations Act directed the College of Education at Central Washington University to conduct a study identifying the duties encompassed in a public school teacher's typical work day. The study is currently underway and involves surveys and time logs from a volunteer sample of teachers during the 2013-14 school year.
Summary of Bill:
The Institute must conduct an analysis of how school districts use school days. To the extent that data are not available at the statewide level, the Institute may use case studies or other methods to conduct the analysis. An initial report is due by December 1, 2014, and a final report is due by December 1, 2015.
The analysis must include the following:
how school districts define classroom time, non-classroom time, instructional time, non-instructional time, and any other definitions of how the school day is divided or used;
estimates of time in each category;
when non-instructional hours occur;
how non-instructional hours are used, including how much of the non-instructional time is devoted to professional development for the purposes of teacher and principal evaluation training or Common Core State Standards training;
a review of student achievement data and, to the extent possible, a determination of whether there is a causal link between improvement in student achievement and the amount of quality professional development teachers receive; and
the extent that the use of each category of time is identified or defined in collective bargaining agreements.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.