Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Education Committee

HB 2117

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 Summary of Bill

Expresses intent to reevaluate the duties of the State Board of Education (SBE), through a process to be determined by chairs of the House and Representatives and Senate education committees, divesting the SBE of inappropriate policy authority that resides in the purview of the Legislature and transferring appropriate duties to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
Tasks the Superintendent of Public Instruction with providing recommended statutory and rule changes to the Legislature to implement the transfer of duties from the SBE to the OSPI.

Background:

The SBE consists of 16 members, as follows:

seven members appointed by the Governor;
five members elected by public school directors;
one member elected by private school directors;
the Superintendent of Public Instruction; and
two students.

The purposes of the State Board of Education (SBE), as set forth in statute, are to:

provide advocacy and strategic oversight of public education;
implement a standards-based accountability framework that creates a unified system of increasing levels of support for schools in order to improve student academic achievement;
provide leadership in the creation of a system that personalizes education for each student and respects diverse cultures, abilities, and learning styles; and
promote achievement of the goals of basic education.

The SBE has statutory responsibilities related to accountability, high school graduation requirements, basic education compliance, school plant facilities, charter schools, private schools, and miscellaneous other matters. A representative from the SBE sits on the K-12 Data Governance Group, the Quality Education Council, and other work groups and councils.

Summary of Bill:

Intent is expressed by the Legislature to reevaluate the duties of the SBE, through a process to be determined by the chairs of the House and Representatives and Senate education committees, divesting the SBE of inappropriate policy authority that resides in the purview of the Legislature and transferring appropriate duties to the OSPI by December 1, 2015.

The SPI is charged with providing recommended statutory and rule changes to the Legislature to implement the transfer of duties from the SBE to the OSPI. These recommendations must be submitted concurrent with submission of its 2016 supplemental budget proposal.