SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5629

BYSenators Bauer and Smitherman; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Establishing project even start.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 12, 1987

Senate Staff:Larry Davis (786-7422)

AS OF FEBRUARY 11, 1987

BACKGROUND:

To be functionally illiterate is to lack the basic ability to speak, read, write and compute in English at or above the eighth grade level.  Without these basic skills, the individual's ability to function as a contributing member of society is usually limited.  Parents who are either illiterate or semi-literate lack the ability to provide the kind of support at home which can assist their children to perform well in school.  Providing special adult literacy services to such parents could complement the Early Childhood Education and Assistance program and help young students to perform up to their levels of ability.

SUMMARY:

The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), with the consultation and participation of the Department of Community Development (DCD), the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), and the State Board for Community College Education (SBCCE) is directed to develop an adult literacy program (i.e., Project Even Start) to provide services to certain parents.

Under rules the SPI is required to adopt, parents eligible to participate shall be those who a) have less than an eighth grade ability in reading, language arts, or mathematics, and b) have children who are enrolled in the federal Head Start program, or the state Early Childhood Education and Assistance program, or a state or federally funded elementary school basic skills program which serves students who are below average in reading, language arts, and mathematics.  Project Even Start shall provide services on a priority basis for parents with children who are, prior to or in the first three grades, enrolled in programs, as outlined above.

Project Even Start may include other components in addition to instruction, including transportation services, child care, and other activities necessary to accomplish the purposes of Project Even Start.  The SPI may, consistent with appropriations made for Project Even Start, fund or cooperatively work with adult literacy programs throughout the common school or community college systems to provide services to parents eligible to participate in Project Even Start.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction is directed to submit to the Legislature by January 15, 1988, a report on Project Even Start and update the report biennially thereafter.  The SPI is also required to identify and disseminate information about effective literacy programs to all school districts and others as may be interested.

Fiscal Note:      requested