Background: Washington Integrated Student Supports Protocol (Protocol). The Protocol framework was established in 2016 and is subject to funding appropriated for this specific purpose. It requires a student needs assessment be conducted for all at-risk students to identify the needed academic and nonacademic supports designed to meet the individual needs of each student. The Protocol also requires the engagement of community partners to provide non-academic supports, including supports to the students' families. It must facilitate the ability of any academic or nonacademic provider to support the needs of at-risk students, including but not limited to, dentists, physicians, social workers, mental health counselors, and others.

The LAP. This program provides supplemental instruction and services to assist students in grades K-12 who are not meeting academic standards and to reduce disruptive behaviors in the classroom. The state allocation for LAP is based on the number of K-12 students enrolled in the school district who are eligible for free- or reduced-price meals (FRPMs) in the prior school year, but students do not have to be eligible for FRPMs to be served in the LAP. In 2017, the Legislature created an additional allocation that is a high-poverty, school-based LAP allocation for qualifying school buildings with at least 50 percent of the enrolled students eligible for FRPMs. School districts must distribute this allocation to the school buildings that generated the allocation.

Since 2013, up to five percent of a district's LAP allocation may be used for partnerships with community-based organizations to deliver academic and nonacademic supports to reduce barriers to learning. Since the 2016-17 school year, districts must use a best practice or strategy that is on a state menu developed by a panel of experts convened by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. School districts may use a practice or strategy that is not on a state menu if the district is able to demonstrate improved outcomes for students commensurate with the best practices and strategies on the state menu. At least every four years, the SPI must monitor school district fidelity in implementing the best practices. School districts must report annually to the SPI on the activities and services provided by LAP and the academic growth gained by students participating in LAP.

Extended Learning Opportunities Program. This program was created in 2009 to assist eleventh and twelfth grade students who are not on track to meet local or state graduation requirements; and to assist eighth grade students who need additional assistance in order to have the opportunity for a successful entry into high school. The program was subject to funds being available for this purpose but also authorized school districts to use basic education program funding to provide instruction to eligible students.

Summary of Bill: The Protocol and LAP. The LAP requirement to use a best practice or strategy on the state menu is removed but requires the SPI to convene a panel of experts to identify best practices and strategies. By July 1, 2018, the SPI must publish and annually update the best practices and strategies. School districts or schools may use these best practices and strategies, if the use is consistent with the Protocol.

The Protocol is expanded to include a system-level needs assessment with resource mapping to identify the supports currently available or lacking in schools and the community. The academic and nonacademic supports for LAP students must be identified through the system-level and student-level needs assessments performed as part of the Protocol. The requirement to use a best practice or strategy on the state menu is removed but requires the SPI to convene a panel of experts to identify best practices and strategies. By July 1, 2018, the SPI must publish and annually update the best practices and strategies. School districts or schools may use these best practices and strategies, if the use is consistent with the Protocol.

Beginning January 1, 2019, school districts must expend LAP appropriations consistent with the Protocol. School districts are encouraged to expend LAP appropriations in a manner consistent with the Protocol prior to January 1, 2019, when it becomes a requirement to expend LAP appropriations consistent with the Protocol.

The statutory purpose of LAP is changed by removing the requirement to focus first on K-4 reading literacy and and the purpose of reducing disruptive behaviors in the classroom. The purpose of assisting students who are not meeting academic standards is maintained. Intensive reading and literacy improvement strategies is added as a service and activity that may be supported by the LAP. The limit of five percent of LAP funding for for partnerships with community-based organizations is removed. A district's high-poverty school-based LAP allocation must be expended at qualifying schools not qualifying school buildings. Beginning November 1, 2018, the SPI must annually report LAP data to the Legislature.

Extended Learning Opportunities. Eligibility for this program is expanded to include eighth through twelfth graders instead of eighth, eleventh, and twelfth graders.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This bill will make the use of LAP dollars more flexible and will implement the Washington Integrated Student Supports Protocol as an umbrella on what to do in LAP and how to use LAP funding. The Protocol is flexible to allow school districts to provide whatever you think your struggling students need. There are a number of models for integrated student supports being implemented nationwide. Some school districts in Washington are already using integrated student supports but not the Protocol model. We are very excited that a key component of the Protocol is community partnerships to provide community-based supports. We would like the LAP high-poverty, school-based allocation to be based on a three-year rolling average of the number of students who qualify for free or reduced priced meals instead of an annual average.