H-3624

AN ACT Relating to kindergarten instruction; adding a new section to chapter 28A.150 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that children may benefit academically and socially during the primary years by participating in full-day kindergarten programs. The legislature also finds that full-day kindergarten may be especially beneficial to disadvantaged students, and that increasing the learning opportunities for kindergarten students will have a positive effect on reaching Washington's higher academic standards. The legislature intends to make tuition-free full-day kindergarten available to all public schools by the 2006-07 school year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.150 RCW to read as follows:

(1) For purposes of this section, "free or reduced-price lunch" means lunches served by a school district that qualify for federal reimbursement as free or reduced-price lunches under the national school lunch program in RCW 28A.235.140(1)(a).

(2) A full-day kindergarten grant program is established to provide school districts with an opportunity to improve student learning consistent with the student learning goals in RCW 28A.150.210 and the essential academic learning requirements and academic standards developed by the commission on student learning under RCW 28A.630.885.

(3) The full-day kindergarten grant program is established as follows: In the 1998-99 school year qualifying school districts may increase the time in kindergarten from one half-day to one full-day for each annual average full-time equivalent kindergarten student enrolled.

(4) School districts may apply to the superintendent of public instruction to participate in the full-day kindergarten grant program beginning in the 1998-99 school year. Qualifying school districts may not charge tuition for full-day kindergarten.

(5) To the extent funds are appropriated, the superintendent of public instruction shall distribute to each qualifying school district an amount sufficient to comprise a basic education allocation provided in RCW 28A.150.250 for each full-time equivalent kindergarten student equal to one hundred eighty full days of instruction.

(6) The superintendent of public instruction shall make grants available by September 1, 1998. In awarding grants, the superintendent of public instruction shall give priority to school districts that satisfy the following criteria:

(a) At least fifty percent of the kindergarten through twelfth grade student population is eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, as determined by the superintendent of public instruction for the school year in which the grants are provided; or

(b) The school district has more than five thousand students who are participating in the free or reduced-price lunch program.

(7) School districts that participate in the full-day kindergarten grant program shall evaluate student performance in subsequent years to determine if full-day kindergarten had any long-term effects on student learning.

(8) The superintendent of public instruction shall develop a process for school districts to apply to participate in the full-day kindergarten grant program, and shall adopt timelines and rules under chapter 34.05 RCW to administer the program.

(9) This section does not prohibit school districts from otherwise providing full-day kindergarten instructional programs.

(10) Funding under this section shall not become part of the state's basic program of education obligation as set forth under Article IX of the state Constitution.

(11) School districts that currently fund full-day kindergarten through levies may not use a grant under this section to supplant district funds spent on full-day kindergarten but may only supplement existing programs until the full-day kindergarten program is available state-wide, as determined by the superintendent of public instruction.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The Washington state institute for public policy shall conduct or contract for an examination of the characteristics of kindergarten instruction in the common schools. To the extent funds are appropriated, the institute shall examine the following characteristics:

(a) The current and projected number of kindergarten students who are entering Washington's schools, their distribution within school districts and schools, demographic characteristics, and socioeconomic characteristics;

(b) Current tuition costs for all-day kindergarten and ancillary costs, if any;

(d) Anticipated certificated, classified, and administrative staffing needs associated with implementing full-day kindergarten; and

(e) Any additional considerations that may affect the implementation of full-day kindergarten state-wide.

(2) The Washington state institute for public policy shall submit the report on the characteristics of kindergarten instruction in the common schools to the house of representatives and senate committees on education by December 1, 1999.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If specific funding for sections 2 and 3 of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number and section numbers, is not provided by June 30, 1998, in the supplemental omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.