HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1693

BYRepresentatives Cooper, Butterfield, Peery, Nutley, Sutherland, Brough, Day, Fuhrman, May and Barnes

Authorizing educational service districts to contract with the school for the deaf and the school for the blind.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (17)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Butterfield, Cole, Cooper, Fuhrman, Holm, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Rust, Schoon, Taylor, Todd, Valle and Walker.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (20)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Brough, Butterfield, Fuhrman, Grant, Grimm, Hine, McLean, Nealey, Sayan, Silver, H. Sommers, Spanel, Sprenkle, Wang and B. Williams.

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 13, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Currently, the families of some students who are eligible to attend the school for the deaf and the school for the blind have elected to move to the Vancouver, Washington areas rather than have their child reside at the school and return home on the weekends and holidays.  Local school districts have been providing transportation for these students to the state schools.  There is no statutory authorization for the school districts to be compensated for providing these transportation services either through the local school district's transportation reimbursement from the state or from the school for the deaf or school for the blind.

SUMMARY:

Educational service districts may provide services to the school for the deaf and the school for the blind.  The educational service district's board of directors may contract with the school for the deaf and school for the blind to provide transportation services.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS/APPROPRIATIONS:  None.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 21, 1988.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Education)  Judy Price, Vancouver School District; Gary Holman, School for the Deaf; Roy Brothers, School for the Blind; and Sharon Eastman, Educational Service District 112.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  Sharon Eastman, Educational Service District 112; Roy Brothers, Washington State School for the Blind.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Education)  Paul W. Locke, Citizen.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Education)  Day students are an increasing part of the population of the School for the Blind and School for the Deaf.  These students' families have moved to Vancouver, Washington so they may remain with their children while they attend the state schools.  Because the decision to attend the schools has been made by the parents and not at the direction of the local school districts in the Vancouver area, the local districts are not authorized by statute to receive state reimbursement for their transportation costs from the state.  At the same time the state schools have no funds to provide transportation.

School districts in the Vancouver area have voluntarily provided the payment of mileage to parents who transport their student to the state schools.  Some children have also been allowed to ride the school buses of these districts.  It is essential that we clearly establish who has the responsibility for transporting these students to and from the state schools and how they should be reimbursed.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  The bill provides a simple, clear solution to a complex legal problem.  The Educational Service district can provide transportation for these students more efficiently than each school district individually.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Education)  This appears to be the most costly approach educating these children when parents have made the decision to send their children to these schools.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.