HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2471

BYRepresentatives Cole, R. King, Walker, Scott, Anderson, Pruitt, Peery, Dorn, Rust, Basich, Nelson, G. Fisher, K. Wilson, Leonard, Prentice, Holland, Winsley, Wineberry, Phillips, P. King, Todd, Wang and Brekke

Establishing a before and after school child care pilot program.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (17)

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

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (1)

      Signed by Representative Schoon.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The second substitute bill be substituted therefor and the second substitute bill do pass.  (24)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Bowman, Brekke, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Ferguson, Hine, Inslee, May, McLean, Nealey, Peery, Rust, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:      Janet Peterson (786-7143)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FEBRUARY 5, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Numerous sources have reported on the difficulty faced by parents in finding safe and reliable child care.  This problem is even more difficult for low-income families that have a limited amount of money to be spent on this service.

Currently, most school district before-and-after school child care programs are not licensed as child care providers through the Department of Social and Health Services. As a result, low-income parents who are eligible for state subsidies for child care cannot use these subsidies for the school district programs.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  Families who are eligible for a child care subsidy from the Department of Social and Health Services may use the subsidy to pay for before-and-after school child care provided by a school district.  Current licensing requirements for child care facilities will not apply to the school based programs.

The Department of Social and Health Services and the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall jointly development minimum standards for child care in schools including the student to staff ratio and age appropriate activities to assure appropriate care.  The rules shall be presented to the State Board of Education for their review and adoption.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Social and Health Services shall also enter and sign an interagency agreement.  The rules and agreement shall be completed by September 1, 1990.

The child care grant program is created.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction may distribute these funds to districts that apply.  The money may be used for initial community needs assessment and program design.  The money may not be used to cover operating expenses.  A district may receive money for a maximum of 24 months. The Superintendent of Public Instruction may provide technical assistance to districts in developing child care programs.

The districts applying for grants must provide a 25 percent match.  The programs may charge a reasonable fee for child care services.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education cannot provide or authorize child care subsidies.  Local districts may provide child care subsidies.  The programs are to develop as self-supporting child care programs.  Districts may also elect to contract out the child care program to a governmental or nongovernmental nonprofit, nonsectarian agency or organization.

Implementation of this program is subject to an appropriation for this purpose being included in the appropriations act.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The rules on child care in schools shall be jointly developed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Social and Health Services rather than by the superintendent in consultation with the department.

The child care grant program is added.

The appropriation is removed and the implementation of the program becomes subject to an appropriation being made for this purpose.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS (SECOND SUBSTITUTE BILL):  Grants provided by the Superintendent of Public Instruction for before-and-after school child care programs may only be used for start-up costs of new programs or expansion to new sites.  Grants may not be used for costs incurred after the first 24 months of the program's operation.  During that period, the grants may be used for needs assessments, planning and design of programs, equipment and materials, or capital improvements including portables, but they may be used for staff positions only for the first three months of employment.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall adopt rules to implement the grants for before-and-after school programs.  Criteria for selection of school districts must be based on local demand for services and, in particular, demand from low-income families.  School districts receiving grants must adopt a fee schedule based on projected costs of services.  They must also submit an operating plan indicating that, within 24 months of initial operation, the program is expected to be self-supporting through fees and other local revenues.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 6, 1990.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Education)  Lonnie-Johns-Brown, Child Care Works for Washington;  Denese Bohanna, Washington Association for the Education of Young Children; Julie Nelson, Washington Family Child Care; and Perry Keithley, Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(Appropriations)  Lonnie Johns-Brown, Child Care Works for Washington; Margaret Casey, Washington State Coalition for Children; and Perry Keithley, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Education)  No one.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Education)  There is a need to assure that child care is available to low income families.  There is some difference of opinion on how the rules governing child care should be developed. In this discussion, we should not forget the need to expand the availability of before-and-after school child care provided by school districts as an option for low income families.

(Appropriations)  Start-up costs for school district child care programs are needed to expand access to before-and-after school care.  It is also a good idea to put more money directly into low-income child care subsidies through the Department of Social and Health Services.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Education)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.