H-52                 _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1814

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Phillips, Wineberry, Peery, Betrozoff, Walker, G. Fisher, Holland, Valle, Ebersole, Winsley, Anderson, Wang, Locke, O'Brien, Miller, Nelson and Leonard

Read first time 2/6/89 and referred to Committees on Education/Appropriations (2/13/89).

AN ACT Relating to education; adding new sections to chapter 28A.71 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature recognizes the diversity of cultures that are represented in the state of Washington.  It is essential that teachers, who are working with children from different cultures, have a sensitivity to the different beliefs, customs, and experiences of their students.  To encourage such sensitivity and understanding, the cultural diversity in- service training program is created.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The superintendent of public instruction shall develop a three-day cultural sensitivity training program which shall be used to increase the awareness of teachers of the unique beliefs, expectations, customs, and experiences of other cultures.  The superintendent of public instruction may develop and present the training program and materials or may contract with individuals or organizations for the development and presentation of the training programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to implement  sections 2 and 4 of this act and shall provide training to selected school districts on an application basis for the receipt of cultural diversity training.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     (1)  School districts interested in receiving cultural diversity training shall file an application requesting the training with the superintendent of public instruction.

          (2)  The district shall describe the cultural diversity found within the school district's population and a description of any cultural diversity training which has been provided to the staff and/or students.

          (3)  The school district shall demonstrate its plan to provide local matching funds of an amount equal to at least twenty percent of the dollar value of the training received from the superintendent of public instruction.

          (4) The district shall identify the number of teachers and staff to be trained and the grade levels they represent.

          (5)  If more districts apply for training than can be served by the money appropriated by the legislature for this purpose, top priority will be given to districts with the largest percentage of minority students.

          (6) The district shall demonstrate its plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the program.

          (7)  Joint applications and programs may be undertaken by school districts.  Districts that elect to participate in a joint program may file a joint application and conduct a joint cultural diversity in-service training program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     Sections 1 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 28A.71 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     The sum of .......... dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction to develop and conduct cultural diversity training for the year 1990.