SENATE BILL REPORT

2SHB 1408

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.

As Reported by Senate Committee On:

Early Learning & K-12 Education, February 25, 2016

Title: An act relating to developing a definition and model for "family engagement coordinator" and other terms used interchangeably with it.

Brief Description: Concerning the development of a definition and model for "family engagement coordinator" and other terms used interchangeably with it.

Sponsors: House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Ortiz-Self, Magendanz, Sawyer, Santos, Senn, Robinson, Orwall, Tarleton, Bergquist and Gregerson).

Brief History: Passed House: 3/02/15, 88-9; 1/27/16, 77-20.

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 2/23/16, 2/25/16 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION

Majority Report: Do pass.

Signed by Senators Litzow, Chair; Dammeier, Vice Chair; McAuliffe, Ranking Member; Billig, Fain, Hill, Mullet, Rivers and Rolfes.

Staff: Susan Mielke (786-7422)

Background: When the Legislature adopted the prototypical school framework for funding basic education in 2009, the framework did not include a parent involvement coordinator as one of the specified staff positions. However in 2010, the Legislature added parent involvement coordinators to the specified staff positions in the framework but did not assign a funding value for the position. Both the 2013-15 and 2015-17 omnibus appropriations acts provided an allocation sufficient to fund 0.0825 parent involvement coordinator for each prototypical elementary school but the value in statute was not changed.

In 2010, the Legislature also directed the Quality Education Council to recommend adequate levels of state-funded classified staff. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction with the Office of the Education Ombuds (OEO) convened a group of school district and education service district representatives who were experienced in the field of family involvement to address the staff position of parent involvement coordinator. The group's recommendations included that the position title be changed to family involvement coordinator, provided a definition, and suggested roles and a funding level for the position.

The 2015 annual report of EOGOAC includes a recommendation that the Legislature review the prototypical schools funding model and determine an appropriate allocation for parent involvement coordinators, and change the staff category title to family and community engagement coordinator.

Summary of Bill: By December 1, 2016, OEO with EOGOAC must recommend to the Legislature the following:

In developing the model or framework, OEO and EOGOAC must collaborate with OSPI, the Washington Education Association, the Public School Employees of Washington, the Washington School Counselors' Association, the Association of Washington School Principals, and the Washington State School Directors' Association.

The section expires July 1, 2017.

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: Testimony From 2015 Regular Session. PRO: This bill requires the development of a definition for this staff category and a model or framework that is done in collaboration with the state school employee and employer associations. This does not add a funding value for this staff category in the prototypical school funding model. Students and their families have a wide variety of complex needs and services to support them. Sometimes it is the school counselor that reaches out to the families, but the current work load of many school counselors does not provide sufficient time for effective outreach. Having this additional resource to connect with families and students to our schools would be helpful to provide guidance to school districts regarding the role, responsibilities, and expectations of a parent involvement coordinator so that there are no gaps in service or overlaps of work with the school counselors.

OTHER: OSPI is already reviewing this for federal purposes and can provide helpful information to the workgroup established in the bill.

Testimony From 2016 Regular Session. PRO: Research and best practices show that when families are involved in the schools their children do better in school. Schools want to have a family engagement coordinator but there is no definition in statute or explanation as to what this staff would do. Also, this staff position has been referred to in a number of different ways and we need to standardize the staff category. This bill would bring the OEO and the EOGOAC together to develop a definition and framework for this staff position.

OTHER: The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program is a model for engaging the family. It includes a family needs assessment and other helpful components to involve the families. Our schools should look how that program engages the family. When you involve the families you have less problems with the students. But schools must be careful with this information and not put it on the computer because you don't want to encourage data mining.

Persons Testifying: Persons Testifying From 2015 Regular Session. PRO: Representative Ortiz-Self, Prime Sponsor; Nita Hill, WA School Counselor Assn.

OTHER: Gil Mendoza, OSPI.

Persons Testifying From 2016 Regular Session. PRO: Representative Ortiz-Self, Prime Sponsor.

OTHER: Grazyna Prouty, WA Certified teacher (continuing contract in Tahoma 2005/2006 - 2010-2011), ESL/ELL, Bilingual.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying:  No one.