SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 5720

BYSenate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators  Gaspard, Patterson, Barr, Bailey, Bauer and Hansen)

Revising the authority for cooperative agreements between or among school districts.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 26, 1987; January 19, 1988; January 28, 1988

Majority Report:  That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 5720 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Bailey, Chairman; Kiskaddon, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Craswell, Gaspard.

Senate Staff:Larry Davis (786-7422)

                  January 29, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 28, 1988

BACKGROUND:

In 1985 the Legislature authorized the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to develop a program to establish five-year pilot projects for the joint operation of programs and services between small school districts.  For the purposes of the program, which shall expire September 1, 1990, the SPI is authorized to waive certain provisions of law which create financial disincentives to cooperation among small school districts.

SUMMARY:

The sunset date for the small schools cooperative projects program is repealed and the program is made ongoing.

SPI rules must include a definition of small school districts and any waiver granted by the Superintendent of Public Instruction may not exceed five years in length.  Districts participating in a cooperative project may request another waiver not to exceed five years.  Districts are encouraged to establish cooperative projects with an emphasis to increase curriculum programs and opportunities.

The SPI is to provide technical assistance to districts establishing a cooperative project and may contract with the Rural Education Center at Washington State University to do so.  The director of the Rural Education Center may establish a local funding match requirement as a condition for districts to receive technical assistance from the Center.

School districts participating in a cooperative project may establish through collective bargaining a single salary schedule for the certificated staff.  For the purposes of determining salary lid compliance for districts participating in a cooperative project, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall calculate a derived base salary using the salary schedule of the participating district which provides the greatest salary, and use the highest annual average insurance benefits costs of the participating districts or the amount provided in the state budget for insurance benefits costs, whichever is greater.

Participating districts must submit an annual report to SPI on the results of the project.  The SPI is to submit a biennial report to the Legislature on the cost-effectiveness of cooperative projects.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SECOND SUBSTITUTE:

The definition of small school districts eligible to participate in cooperative projects is clarified to mean districts which receive state funds because they are designated as small high school districts.  Subject to rules adopted by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), second class districts which are not small high school districts may also participate.

Districts must submit an application to the SPI for approval to implement a cooperative project.  The application must include a description of the project; expected improvements in curriculum offerings and educational opportunities; statutory requirements or administrative rules which may need to be waived; and other information.

Waivers granted by the SPI must be reviewed every five years and districts participating in a cooperative project must reapply for waivers after five years if they wish to continue the cooperative project.

Districts participating in a cooperative project may adopt identical salary schedules and shall be considered a single district for salary compliance purposes if they adopt identical salary schedules.

For purposes of computing fringe benefit calculations, districts in a cooperative project may use the greater of the highest amount provided by the districts in the 1986-87 school year, or the amount provided in the state budget in effect at the time of the cooperative project.

Districts must submit reports to the SPI in the third and fifth years of the cooperative project rather than annually.  SPI must submit a report to the Legislature on the cooperative projects program every third odd-numbered year rather than biennially.

A high school district which sends its students to another high school district under a cooperative project shall not be required to become a non-high school district if the cooperative project exceeds two years in duration.

The SPI may contract with other agencies to provide technical assistance to districts interested in developing and implementing a cooperative project.

References to the Rural Education Center at Washington State University and the appropriation are deleted.

Appropriation:    $49,990 for the Superintendent of Public Instruction

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Senator Patterson, sponsor; Archie Neal, School Director, Garfield School District; Mark Hegg, School Director, Palouse School District; Larry Warner, Superintendent, Garfield School District and Palouse School District; Ray Smith, Director, Rural Education Center/WSU; Bob Fisher, Washington Education Association; Kris Van Gorkom, Washington Association of School Administrators