H-3125              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 2366

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Representatives Spanel, Peery, Walker, Brekke, Leonard, Pruitt, Prentice, Rasmussen, R. Meyers, P. King, Rector, Winsley and May

Read first time 1/10/90 and referred to Committees on Education/ Appropriations.

AN ACT Relating to parent education; adding new sections to Title 28A RCW; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     Parents are the first teachers of their children.  Society relies on parents for the development of language and social skills necessary for a successful school experience.  In reality, people often know more about a new car when they purchase it than they do about the growth and development of a new baby when they bring him or her home.  It is essential that the information and support necessary to assure that new parents can provide a sound educational foundation be provided.  The purpose of the parent as first teacher program is to provide such a foundation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The parent as first teacher pilot program is created to provide funding to a minimum of twenty-five school districts to:

          (1) Provide developmental screening for children ages twelve through thirty-six months;

          (2) Provide parent education for first-time parents with children from birth through age three; and

          (3) Provide resource material on home learning activities, private group educational guidance, individual and group learning experiences for parent and child, and other activities that enable the parent to improve learning in the home.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     (1) Districts wishing to apply for money for a parent as first teacher pilot program shall submit an application that includes, but is not limited to the following information:

          (a) The number of children from birth to age three in their district;

          (b) The method by which the district will identify and contact first-time parents with children from birth to age three;

          (c) The method of providing developmental information and activities to parents;

          (d) Methods for providing periodic developmental evaluation of children enrolled in the pilot project;

          (e) The training and experience of staff to be used in providing the developmental information and activities and evaluations; and

          (f) The identity of other community or state services within the school district that have agreed to assist in the development and implementation of the program.  This may include services from family support centers and the high priority infant tracking program.

          (2) In providing the services outlined in this section, a school district may use persons who are not certified by the state board of education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The superintendent of public instruction shall establish rules for the award of grant moneys to districts for the implementation of a parent as first teacher pilot program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     Sections 2 through 4 of this act are each added to Title 28A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     The sum of one million 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 for the operation of the parent as first teacher pilot program.  No more than ten percent of the money appropriated for this program shall be used to cover administrative costs within the office of the superintendent of public instruction.