SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5341

BYSenators Bailey, Bauer, Bender and Sutherland; by request of Governor

Revising programs for students at risk.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 28, 1989

Senate Staff:Larry Davis (786-7422)

AS OF FEBRUARY 28, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Available data indicate that Washington's dropout rate, as a statewide average, is approximately 20 to 25 percent.  Students who drop out are more likely to experience difficulty in finding and holding employment, become involved in criminal activities, become chemically dependent, and seek public assistance.  It is suggested that a more comprehensive strategy is needed to address the needs of students at risk of dropping out.

SUMMARY:

Learning Assistance Program:  The goal of the Learning Assistance Program is changed from serving students with special needs who are deficient in the basic skills of reading, mathematics and language arts to increasing the achievement of all students, especially those at risk of dropping out by using processes that produce better outcomes and a successful transition from elementary school to junior high school or junior high school to high school. The basic skills to be evaluated for placement in the program will be expanded to include critical thinking skills.

Rather than developing a district plan, a plan shall be developed by each school and submitted by the district, subject to approval by the school board, to the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI).  The SPI shall provide funding for the approved program to each school.  The SPI shall monitor each school's program for improvement in student performance every two rather than every three years.  The Legislature encourages special emphasis on the early elementary grades in the Learning Assistance Program.  Each school shall update its needs assessment at least biennially in consultation with a school advisory committee or council.

The annual evaluation of the program by the school shall be based on performance objectives related to basic skills achievement of participating students and school-wide student performance.  School districts shall compile and submit the evaluations to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The services or activities which may be supported under an approved local learning assistance program are expanded to include:  Inservice training for classroom teachers and instructional assistants in multicultural differences; tutoring assistance during or after school or on Saturday provided by student tutors, teachers or instructional assistants; and use of instructional assistants rather than instructional support staff to assist teachers in meeting students' needs. 

The SPI is directed to develop tests as necessary to measure critical thinking skills. 

In determining the amount of funding for schools, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall use a five-year average of the school's percentage of students scoring in the lowest quartile on the basic skills test used for assessment.  If there is an improvement in performance which would result in a district losing funding, only one half of the reduction in funds based on the improved test scores would occur.  The remaining half of the previous funding would be made available to the school to spend in the way selected by the school's advisory council.  Allocations to schools will be distributed through the school districts.  If a school does not spend all of its allocation on its approved plan, it shall assure the Superintendent of Public Instruction that it has met the needs of all its students at risk.

Substance Abuse Awareness Program:  The Substance Abuse Awareness Program is renamed the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Awareness Program.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall distribute to schools rather than to school districts funds made available for the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Awareness Program.  Schools rather than school districts shall file an application with the SPI for funds.  The application shall include a letter of commitment from the school rather than the board of directors; a letter of commitment from the school rather than the board of directors to appoint a school and community drug and alcohol abuse advisory committee; a copy of the school's rather than the district's assessment of the scope of the problem of drug and alcohol abuse; schools in addition to districts must indicate a plan to provide local matching funds of at least 20 percent of the cost of the school's program; the school rather than the district must provide an outline of procedures to evaluate the effectiveness of the school's program; and schools may file joint applications rather than school districts.

Schools rather than districts may file annually for continued funding.

High School Dropout Rate Reduction:  The Legislature encourages districts to design alternative high schools, schools-within-schools, and subject-matter related schools to meet the diverse needs of the students.  The Legislature intends that the average state dropout rate will be reduced to 10 percent by the year 2000.

School districts may apply to the SPI for grants to reduce their dropout rate.  The specifics of this grant program will be outlined in the appropriations bill.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall provide an annual analysis of the dropout rate in schools participating in the grant program and compare them with the dropout rates of nonparticipating schools.  Dropout rates shall be reported for each building.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall establish an annual award for schools that demonstrate unusual success in reducing their dropout rate.

A student tutor corps may be established, if funded, to work with students at risk of dropping out of school.  The tutors may be high school or college students and may receive an hourly stipend.  The selection of ethnic and racial minority students as student tutors is encouraged.

A student who has dropped out of high school for six weeks or longer, is returning to school from a drug or alcohol treatment program, is or is about to become a teenage parent, or is returning from hospitalization due to a mental health problem may choose to attend any school in the state regardless of the student's residence, so long as the receiving district agrees.  Nonresident districts are encouraged to accept these students and may not charge nonresident students tuition.

School districts annually shall report dropout statistics to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for grades nine through twelve in each high school.  The report shall identify the primary causes or reasons for the student dropping out, based on information provided by the student.  If the student cannot be contacted, the staff shall provide its best professional opinion for the student's decision to drop out.  The dropout report compiled by the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall go to the Office of Financial Management (OFM), the Legislative Budget Committee (LBC), and the Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program (LEAP) Committee.  Beginning in 1990, the report shall include information on the number of students in grades nine through twelve in each high school who drop out over a four-year period and the four-year dropout rate.

Flexible Scheduling:  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall establish procedures to allow schools to claim basic education allocation funds for students attending classes that are provided outside the calendar school year, to the extent such attendance is in lieu of attendance during the regular school year.  School may be taught on weekends and school holidays.

Core Competencies:  The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Higher Education Coordinating (HEC) Board and higher education institutions, shall review and evaluate strategies to replace the use of carnegie units (earning a specified number of credits based in part on attendance) with core competencies to evaluate student performance.  The State Board shall report its findings and make recommendations to the Governor, the HEC Board, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Legislature by December, 1989.

All provisions relating to the student motivation, prevention and retrieval program are repealed.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested February 23, 1989