HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2044

BYRepresentatives Winsley, Peery, Schoon, G. Fisher, Day, Anderson, K. Wilson, Dorn, Brumsickle, Raiter, Dellwo, Miller, Rector, Pruitt, Van Luven, Todd, Spanel, Phillips and P. King 

Establishing a pilot program of grants to elementary schools for school counselors and intervention specialists.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (17)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Cole, Dorn, Holland, Horn, Jones, Phillips, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Schoon, Valle, Walker and K. Wilson.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (1)

      Signed by Representative Fuhrman.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION FEBRUARY 27, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The legislature has heard testimony on the impact of societal problems on children.  Problems such as poverty, substance abuse, unemployment and homelessness significantly impact a child's ability to receive the maximum benefit from school.  The impact can be life long.

SUMMARY:

The legislature establishes the elementary school counselor and intervention specialist pilot program.  The pilot program is intended to provide grants for funding 50 to 100 additional school counselors or intervention specialists during the 1989-91 biennium.  The program is targeted to districts showing the greatest need.  Districts shall demonstrate need by providing data on the attendance area to be served showing the number of students living in poverty, unemployment rate, juvenile justice referrals, rate of homelessness and social service caseloads.

A counselor and intervention specialist means:  1)  An educational staff associate hired by a school district or educational service district as a school counselor, school psychologist or school social worker; 2) A counselor, social worker or mental health specialist hired by the Department of Social and Health Services; 3) A psychologist licensed under chapter 18.83 RCW; or 4) A children's mental health specialist as defined in RCW 71.34.020.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall administer the program.  The grants shall be distributed solely for the purpose of increasing the total number of counselors and intervention specialists working in the districts' elementary schools.  The district may hire personnel or contract for services with educational service districts or other public or community agencies.  School districts may apply jointly for the grants.  The minimum grants per district for each year shall be $20,000.

Applications for the program shall include:  1) Information on the number of counselors and intervention specialists assigned to elementary schools employed by the district in the 1988-89 school year and where increased staff provided by the grant would be assigned; 2) Data on the special needs factors of poverty, unemployment, juvenile justice referrals, homelessness and social service caseloads or other factors as determined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.  The Superintendent shall rank the proposals based on the special needs factors and the district's potential for meeting the needs of the greatest number of high-risk students.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall gather data and other documentation on the effectiveness of the program during the 1989-90 and 1990-91 school year.  The Superintendent shall evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program and report to the education committees of the House of Representatives and Senate prior to January 1, 1992.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction is given rule making authority to implement this act.

The sum of $4,000,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the biennium ending June 30, 1991 for grants to school districts.

Appropriation:    $4,000,000 to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 14, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Shirley Winsley; Ann Simons, Washington Association of Child Abuse Councils; Walter Ball, Association of Washington School Principals; Dorothy Roberts, League of Women Voters; Dwayne Slate, Washington State School Directors' Association; and Bob Fisher, Washington Education Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This bill is an attempt to address the schools with the greatest needs. Changes in society have required teachers to deal with hungry children with low self esteem.  For many of these children school is the only place where they can find help.  School counselors and intervention specialists are the best way to address the problem.  There has been discussion of this idea for three years. The time has come to actually do something to help the schools with the greatest need.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.