S-2075               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 3518

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators Bauer, Gaspard, Benitz, Moore, DeJarnatt, Goltz, Warnke, Bender, Kiskaddon, Conner, Bailey and Johnson; by Temporary Committee on Educational Policies request)

Read first time 2/21/85.

AN ACT Relating to early childhood education; adding a new section to chapter 28A.03 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.03 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The office of early childhood education is established in the office of the superintendent of public instruction.  The superintendent shall select a director of early childhood education possessing appropriate qualifications.

          (2) The office of early childhood education shall:

          (a) Collect information on both public and private early childhood programs in the state;

          (b) Publish and make available documents and handbooks about early childhood education for distribution to school districts, parents, and teachers;

          (c) Assist local school districts in the development or implementation of prekindergarten assessment programs;

          (d) Develop rules in conjunction with the state board of education for school or school district pilot projects combining kindergarten through grade three into a primary block;

          (e) Establish a formal communication structure between the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of social and health services about monitoring education programs for three and four year old children and child care programs provided by private persons and agencies;

          (f) Establish a formal communication structure between the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of community development regarding the operation of federal, private, or state programs for disadvantaged "at-risk" children not yet eligible for kindergarten;

          (g) Make recommendations to the state board of education regarding the potential establishment and maintenance of an early childhood endorsement on the certificates of teachers in kindergarten through grade three; and

          (h) Perform such additional duties as may be deemed necessary by the superintendent of public instruction.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     Implementation of this act is subject to funds being appropriated or made available for such purposes.