SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 770

BYRepresentatives Ebersole, Betrozoff, Pruitt, Walker, Valle, Rasmussen, Belcher, Schmidt, Rust, Unsoeld, Holland, Patrick, P. King, Winsley, Schoon, Holm, Todd and Spanel

Changing common school curriculum requirements to include science with an emphasis on the environment.

House Committe on Education

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 25, 1987

Majority Report:     Do pass.

     Signed by Senators Gaspard, Chairman; Bauer, Vice Chairman; Bailey, Bender, Benitz, Saling, Smitherman.

Senate Staff:Larry Davis (786-7422)

                March 26, 1987

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 25, 1987

BACKGROUND:

In 1985 the Legislature directed the Superintendent of Public Instruction to appoint an environmental education task force to assess the needs and status of environmental education and to define environmental literacy.

The task force determined that an environmentally literate person should understand:  (1) the components of the environment and their interactions; (2) the value of the environment to our physical, economic and emotional well-being; and (3) how personal choice affects the environment.  Subsequent to a task force recommendation that a formal cooperative effort between all interested groups be undertaken to assist in reaching these goals, a coordinating committee on environmental education was established by the Legislature in 1986.

The committee functioned under the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and acted to encourage cooperation and development of recommendations to improve environmental education.  The committee, which expired on December 31, 1986, recommended in its final report that science, with an emphasis on the environment, be added to the basic curriculum of the schools in this state.

SUMMARY:

All common schools are required to provide compulsory instruction in science, with special reference to the environment, and teachers shall stress the importance of the worth of the land.

Fiscal Note:    available

Senate Committee - Testified:   Representative Marilyn Rasmussen, sponsor; Judy Hartmann, OSPI