Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Early Learning & Human Services Committee

2SHB 1999

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: Coordinating services and programs for foster youth in order to improve educational outcomes.

Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Carlyle, Kagi, Lytton, Walsh, Sawyer, Pettigrew, Ortiz-Self, Dent, Parker, Caldier, Goodman and Jinkins).

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Moves responsibility for the educational coordination program for foster youth and demonstration site to improve educational outcomes for foster youth from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

  • Moves responsibility for the Supplemental Educational Transition Program for foster youth from the DSHS to the Washington Student Achievement Council.

  • Adds a demonstration site to improve educational outcomes for foster youth after July 1, 2016, if funded.

Hearing Date: 1/13/16

Staff: Luke Wickham (786-7146).

Background:

Education Coordination Program for Dependent Youth.

In 2012 the Legislature enacted Substitute House Bill 2254, which requires the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to contract with at least one nongovernmental entity that has demonstrated success in working with foster care youth in improving educational outcomes. The nongovernmental entity must:

Demonstration Site to Improve Educational Outcomes for Dependent Youth.

The 2013-15 Operating Budget provided funding for the Children's Administration to contract with a nongovernmental entity to improve educational outcomes of dependent students by providing individualized education services and monitoring and supporting the completion of educational milestones, remediation needs, and special education needs of these students. The 2015-17 Operating Budget provided funding for a second demonstration site to be implemented no earlier than July 1, 2016. These contracts are performance-based with a stated goal of improving the graduation rates of foster youth by 2 percent per year over five school years.

The services required by the demonstration site include:

Passport to College Program.

The Passport to College Promise Scholarship program (Passport program) was established in 2007 to help dependent students attend and succeed in college. The three primary components of this program are administered by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) and include:

In the 2012-13 academic year, 404 students were served through the Passport program.

Supplemental Education Transition Program.

The Supplemental Education Transition Program is part of the Passport program that is managed by the DSHS, and requires the DSHS to contract with at least one nongovernmental entity to develop, implement, and administer a program of supplemental educational transition planning for youth beginning at age 14 in foster care.

The supplemental transition planning must include:

Summary of Bill:

Program of Education Coordination for Dependent Youth.

The agency responsible for contracting with a nongovernmental agency to administer a program of education coordination for dependent youth is changed from the DSHS to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). A requirement is added to this contract, requiring that the contract be outcome-driven with a stated goal of reducing educational barriers to youth success.

Demonstration Sites to Improve Educational Outcomes for Dependent Youth.

The current demonstration program to improve educational outcomes for foster youth is maintained and expanded to include a second site. The second site must be implemented after July 1, 2016. The agency contracting with the nongovernmental agency for this purpose is changed from the DSHS to the OSPI and the resulting contract must be outcome-driven.

The nongovernmental agency must engage in a public-private partnership with the OSPI and is responsible for raising a portion of the funds needed for service delivery, administration, and evaluation.

The youth eligible for referral are expanded to include youth ages 13 through 21.

Supplemental Education Transition Planning Program.

The Supplemental Education Transition Planning Program (SETuP) is moved from the DSHS to the WSAC. The youth served by this program are ages 13 through 21 and are not served by the demonstration sites described above. The contract for this service must be outcome-driven with a stated goal of improving the graduation rates and postsecondary plan initiation of eligible youth by 2 percent per year over five school years starting with the 2015-16 school year.

The SETuP program shall include:

The SETuP program may be co-located in the DSHS, and the nongovernmental entity must report outcomes to the WSAC and the DSHS twice per year.

Memoranda of Understanding.

The DSHS, the WSAC, and the OSPI shall enter into, or revise existing memoranda of understanding that:

By November 1, 2016, and twice a year thereafter, the DSHS, the WSAC, and the OSPI shall submit a report to the Governor and appropriate committees of the Legislature regarding these programs and educational outcomes of foster youth. The DSHS, the WSAC, and the OSPI, in consultation with the nongovernmental entities, are also required to submit a report by November 1, 2018, to the Governor and Legislature regarding whether the transfer of programs from the DSHS has resulted in better coordinated services for youth.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.