H-2111.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1815

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Clements, Talcott and Huff)

Read first time 02/25/1999.  Referred to Committee on .

Requiring school districts to provide programs for highly capable students.

    AN ACT Relating to programs for highly capable students; amending RCW 28A.185.020 and 28A.185.030; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature intends to enhance the ability of basic education teachers to address the needs and expectations of highly capable students in public schools.  The legislature further intends to stimulate development by local schools and school districts of innovative and effective means of serving highly capable students.  The purpose of this act is to increase the achievement of highly capable students by requiring programs for highly capable students in basic education and providing funding for such programs in all school districts in the state.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 28A.185.020 and 1990 c 33 s 168 are each amended to read as follows:

    ((Supplementary)) Funds ((as may)) shall be provided by the state for ((this)) programs for highly capable students, in accordance with RCW 28A.150.370, and shall be categorical funding on an excess cost basis based upon a per student amount not to exceed three percent of any district's full-time equivalent enrollment; however, the biennial omnibus appropriations act shall specify a minimum level of funding that shall be provided to small school districts in which the number of students generating funding for programs for highly capable students is too low to adequately support services for highly capable students in those districts.

    Sec. 3.  RCW 28A.185.030 and 1984 c 278 s 13 are each amended to read as follows:

    Local school districts ((may)) shall establish and operate, either separately or jointly, programs for highly capable students.  Such authority shall include the right to employ and pay special instructors and to operate such programs jointly with a public institution of higher education.  Local school districts ((which establish and operate programs for highly capable students)) shall adopt identification procedures and provide educational opportunities as follows:

    (1) In accordance with rules ((and regulations)) adopted by the superintendent of public instruction, school districts shall implement procedures for nomination, assessment and selection of their most highly capable students.  Nominations shall be based upon data from teachers, other staff, parents, students, and members of the community.  Assessment shall be based upon a review of each student's capability as shown by multiple criteria intended to reveal, from a wide variety of sources and data, each student's unique needs and capabilities.  Selection shall be made by a broadly based committee of professionals, after consideration of the results of the multiple criteria assessment.

    (2) Students selected pursuant to procedures outlined in this section shall be provided, to the extent feasible, an educational opportunity which takes into account each student's unique needs and capabilities and the limits of the resources and program options available to the district, including those options which can be developed or provided by using funds allocated by the superintendent of public instruction for that purpose.

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