HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 6201

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 House Committee On:

Education

Title: An act relating to the openly licensed courseware.

Brief Description: Making the open educational resources project permanent.

Sponsors: Senators Liias, Zeiger, Carlyle and Palumbo.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Education: 2/20/18, 2/22/18 [DP].

Brief Summary of Bill

Removes the June 30, 2018, expiration date for provisions governing the library of openly licensed courseware (library).
Specifies that the standards to which the library must be aligned with are the state kindergarten through twelfth grade learning standards, rather than the Common Core State Standards.
Removes the December 1, 2017, expiration date relating to the reporting of the library by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to the Governor and education committees of the Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 18 members: Representatives Santos, Chair; Dolan, Vice Chair; Stonier, Vice Chair; Harris, Ranking Minority Member; Muri, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bergquist, Caldier, Hargrove, Johnson, Kilduff, Lovick, McCaslin, Ortiz-Self, Senn, Slatter, Steele, Stokesbary and Valdez.

Staff: Katie Choate (786-7296) and Megan Wargacki (786-7194).

Background:

In 2012 the Legislature authorized the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to identify and develop a library of openly licensed courseware (library) that would be aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

The OSPI was also directed by the Legislature to:

advertise the availability of openly licensed courseware;
identify an open courseware repository;
provide associated professional development programs;
seek outside funding by partnering with private organizations;
collaborate with other states that had adopted the CCSS and share results;
include input from classroom practitioners, including teacher-librarians; and
report to the Governor and the education committees of the Legislature on a biennial basis beginning December 1, 2013 and ending December 1, 2017.

The library is called the Open Educational Resources (OER) by the OSPI, and the project will expire on June 30, 2018.

Openly Licensed Courseware.

Openly licensed courseware are teaching and learning materials that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license, also called an attribution license, as long as credit is given to the original creator. These openly licensed courseware, or OER may be used free of charge, distributed without restriction, and modified without permission. Examples of courseware include course syllabi, instructional materials, modules, textbooks, student guides, and formative and summative assessments. School districts are not required to use any of the openly licensed courseware.

The OER may be used as entire courses, full units, lesson-plan components, or supplemental material. Teachers may also:

download a textbook for print or digital display;
display video and audio lectures;
build and share lesson plans;
access free books in the public domain;
experience interactive simulations;
explore game-based learning programs; and
gather and assemble resources like photos, sounds, and diagrams.

Washington State Kindergarten Through Twelfth Grade Learning Standards.

The Legislature requires the OSPI to develop the state learning standards and oversee the assessment of the learning standards for state and federal accountability purposes. In 2011 at the direction of the Legislature, the OSPI adopted the CCSS as the state's kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) learning standards in mathematics and English language arts.

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Summary of Bill:

The June 30, 2018 expiration date for the library, and the December 12, 2017, end date for the courseware reporting period are both removed. The standards to which the library must be aligned with are the state K-12 learning standards, rather than the Common Core State Standards.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Online educational resources are free for school districts to use, adapt, and share. They enable districts to have the flexibility to shift costs from the purchase of curriculum content to other educational areas. Online educational resources provide the ability for teachers to update educational materials and promote equitable access to high quality curriculum content for all students. In some school districts they are using an open resource math curriculum where the district saved $68,000 that was then spent on professional development time. Washington has received national recognition for their online educational resources and stakeholders hope to build on the strong foundation of content already offered.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Barbara Soots, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.