Z-722                 _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 579

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Holm, Miller, Cooper, Ebersole, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Belcher, Cole, Leonard, P. King, Wineberry, R. King, Todd, Winsley and Spanel; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Read first time 2/2/87 and referred to Committee on Education.

AN ACT Relating to education; and adding new sections to Title 28A RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     Project even start is intended to provide children with the motivation and positive environment to increase their academic performance by promoting better response to teaching through encouraging better parenting.  This project is intended to help illiterate or semiliterate parents so they can assist their children in the learning process.  Parents are the most effective teachers for their children.  Providing parents with opportunities to acquire basic skills and the knowledge to strengthen support of children will be an encouragement and motivation for children and help enhance their learning experiences in the formal education environment.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall, with the consultation and participation of the departments of community development and social and health services and the state board for community college education, develop a program of adult literacy to serve parents of children who are in early childhood education and assistance or head start programs or elementary school programs serving students below average in the basic skills of reading, language arts, and mathematics.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules, under chapter 34.04 RCW to implement section 2 of this act.  The rules shall include, but not be limited to:

          (1) Establishing a program framework to provide adult literacy skills for parents who have less than an eighth grade ability in the areas of reading, language arts, or mathematics;

          (2) Defining participating parents to be those of a child in an early childhood education and assistance, head start, or state or federally funded elementary school basic skills program, with priority for parents with children in programs prior to or in the first three grades of their formal education; and

          (3) In addition to the instruction of basic skills, establishing other program components which may include transportation services, child care, and such other necessary activities necessary to accomplish the purposes of the project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The office of the superintendent of public instruction may, consistent with appropriations for project even start, fund, or cooperatively work with, adult literacy programs through the common school or community college systems for eligible parents who qualify for the project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall prepare a report to the legislature on the effectiveness and experiences of the even start program, including recommendations and specific plans, if appropriate, for program expansion.  The initial report shall be submitted by January 15, 1988, and shall be updated every two years thereafter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     The superintendent of public instruction shall identify and disseminate information about effective programs to all school districts and other interested parties.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7.     Sections 1 through 6 of this act shall constitute new sections in Title 28A RCW.