SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6483

As Reported by Senate Committee On:

Ways & Means, March 10, 2014

Title: An act relating to creating a competitive grant program to provide additional classroom space to support all-day kindergarten.

Brief Description: Creating a competitive grant program to provide additional classroom space to support all-day kindergarten.

Sponsors: Senators Keiser, Honeyford, Frockt, Dammeier, Billig, Hargrove, Kohl-Welles, Kline and McAuliffe.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Ways & Means: 2/03/14, 3/10/14 [DPS, w/oRec].

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6483 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Hill, Chair; Honeyford, Capital Budget Chair; Hargrove, Ranking Member; Keiser, Assistant Ranking Member on the Capital Budget; Ranker, Assistant Ranking Member on the Operating Budget; Bailey, Becker, Billig, Braun, Conway, Dammeier, Fraser, Frockt, Hasegawa, Hatfield, Hewitt, Kohl-Welles, Parlette, Rivers and Schoesler.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.

Signed by Senator Padden.

Staff: Brian Sims (786-7431)

Background: RCW 28A.150.315 calls for the phase-in of state-funded full-day kindergarten by the 2017-18 school year. The state school construction assistance program made square foot space adjustments for full-day kindergarten in 2001 by counting kindergarten students as full-time students.

Some school districts have reported a lack of classroom space that impedes the scheduled phase-in of full-day kindergarten.

Summary of Bill (Recommended Substitute): The act authorizes $825 million in general obligation bonds for grants for three kinds of education reform facilities: state-funded all-day kindergarten, state-funded class-size reductions in kindergarten through third grade, and modernization of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) labs.

A grant program is established with specific criteria and grant review procedures to fund classroom space necessary to support the phase-in of full-day kindergarten, and $50 million for the first round of grants is appropriated.

A grant program is established with specific criteria and grant review procedures to modernize STEM lab space, and $50 million for the first round of grants is appropriated.

The act provides $500,000 to prepare basic inventory information needed to determine the need for facilities for reduced class size in kindergarten through third grade.

EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE (Recommended Substitute): The substitute adds authority to issue $825 million in general obligation bonds for grants for three kinds of education reform facilities: state-funded all-day kindergarten, state-funded class-size reductions in kindergarten through third grade, and modernization of STEM labs. The substitute appropriates $50 million each for all-day kindergarten facilities and STEM labs, and appropriates $500,000 to prepare basic inventory information needed to determine the need for facilities for reduced class size.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Original Bill: PRO: This is a good start to begin to address the need for school facilities for reduced class size, all-day kindergarten, and STEM labs. The use of general obligation bonds is a better way to fund these needs while not endangering our credit rating and while keeping the lowest cost of borrowing and without going outside the state's constitutional debt limit.

OTHER: We need to address class size, all-day kindergarten, and modernizing STEM labs. The language is a bit too prescriptive.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Ray Vefik, Auburn School Board, President; Mitch Denning, Alliance of Educational Assns.; Jim McIntire, State Treasurer.

OTHER: Randy Dorn, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Charlie Brown, Tacoma School District.