BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to improving class size; amending RCW 28A.150.260 and 28A.150.260; creating a new section; providing an effective date; and providing a contingent effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that Washington's schools have some of the largest classes in the nation. The legislature finds that reducing class size in the elementary grades is a crucial step toward providing students with additional learning opportunities to meet the increased challenges. The legislature further finds that reducing class sizes and improving the student to teacher ratio will provide students with the individual attention they need to learn to the best of their abilities and to reach the new and higher learning standards. The legislature further finds that providing for smaller classes will help provide a safer and more disciplined learning environment. The legislature further intends to provide stability and improve planning for school districts by placing improvements to the allocation formula for kindergarten through third grade into statute. The legislature intends to improve the allocation formula based upon the number of students in grades four and five and place those improvements into statute.

Sec. 2. RCW 28A.150.260 and 1997 c 13 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The basic education allocation for each annual average full-time equivalent student shall be determined in accordance with the following procedures:

(1) The governor shall and the superintendent of public instruction may recommend to the legislature a formula based on a ratio of students to staff for the distribution of a basic education allocation for each annual average full-time equivalent student enrolled in a common school. The distribution formula shall have the primary objective of equalizing educational opportunities and shall provide appropriate recognition of the following costs among the various districts within the state:

(a) Certificated instructional staff and their related costs;

(b) Certificated administrative staff and their related costs;

(d) Nonsalary costs;

(e) Extraordinary costs of remote and necessary schools and small high schools, including costs of additional certificated and classified staff; and

(f) The attendance of students pursuant to RCW 28A.335.160 and 28A.225.250 who do not reside within the servicing school district.

(2)(a) This formula for distribution of basic education funds shall be reviewed biennially by the superintendent and governor. The recommended formula shall be subject to approval, amendment or rejection by the legislature. The formula shall be for allocation purposes only. While the legislature intends that the allocations for additional instructional staff be used to increase the ratio of such staff to students, nothing in this section shall require districts to reduce the number of administrative staff below existing levels.

(b) The formula adopted by the legislature shall reflect the following ratios at a minimum:

(i) Forty-nine certificated instructional staff to one thousand annual average full-time equivalent students enrolled in grades kindergarten through three plus an additional five and three-tenths certificated instructional staff units for grades kindergarten through three. However, a district shall only receive allocations for staff above forty-nine certificated instructional staff to one thousand full-time equivalent students in grades kindergarten through three if the district documents an actual ratio equal to or greater than fifty-four and three-tenths certificated instructional staff for one thousand full-time equivalent students in grades kindergarten through three. For any school district documenting a lower certificated instructional staff ratio, the allocation shall be based on the district's actual certificated instructional staff ratio for grades kindergarten through three or forty-nine certificated instructional staff for one thousand full-time equivalent students. Districts at or above fifty-one certificated instructional staff per one thousand full-time equivalent students in grades kindergarten through three may dedicate up to one and three-tenths of the fifty-four and three-tenths funding ratio to employ additional classified instructional assistants assigned to basic education classrooms in grades kindergarten through three. For purposes of documenting a district's staff ratio under this subsection, funds used by the district to employ additional classified instructional assistants shall be converted to a certificated staff equivalent and added to the district's actual certificated instructional staff ratio;

(ii) Forty-eight and thirty-six one-hundredths certificated instructional staff to one thousand annual full-time equivalent students enrolled in grades four and five. The staff may be used in grades kindergarten through five if the district documents an actual average ratio of forty-eight and thirty-six one-hundredths certificated instructional staff in grades kindergarten through five;

(iii) Forty-six certificated instructional staff to one thousand annual average full-time equivalent students in grades ((~~four~~)) six through twelve;

((~~(iii)~~)) (iv) Four certificated administrative staff to one thousand annual average full-time equivalent students in grades kindergarten through twelve; and

((~~(iv)~~)) (v) Sixteen and sixty-seven one-hundredths classified personnel to one thousand annual average full-time equivalent students enrolled in grades kindergarten through twelve.

(c) In the event the legislature rejects the distribution formula recommended by the governor, without adopting a new distribution formula, the distribution formula for the previous school year shall remain in effect: PROVIDED, That the distribution formula developed pursuant to this section shall be for state apportionment and equalization purposes only and shall not be construed as mandating specific operational functions of local school districts other than those program requirements identified in RCW 28A.150.220 and 28A.150.100. The enrollment of any district shall be the annual average number of full-time equivalent students and part-time students as provided in RCW 28A.150.350, enrolled on the first school day of each month and shall exclude full-time equivalent students with disabilities recognized for the purposes of allocation of state funds for programs under RCW 28A.155.010 through 28A.155.100. The definition of full-time equivalent student shall be determined by rules of the superintendent of public instruction: PROVIDED, That the definition shall be included as part of the superintendent's biennial budget request: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That any revision of the present definition shall not take effect until approved by the house appropriations committee and the senate ways and means committee: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That the office of financial management shall make a monthly review of the superintendent's reported full-time equivalent students in the common schools in conjunction with RCW 43.62.050.

(3)(a) Certificated instructional staff shall include those persons employed by a school district who are nonsupervisory employees within the meaning of RCW 41.59.020(8): PROVIDED, That in exceptional cases, people of unusual competence but without certification may teach students so long as a certificated person exercises general supervision: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That the hiring of such classified people shall not occur during a labor dispute and such classified people shall not be hired to replace certificated employees during a labor dispute.

(b) Certificated administrative staff shall include all those persons who are chief executive officers, chief administrative officers, confidential employees, supervisors, principals, or assistant principals within the meaning of RCW 41.59.020(4).

(4) Each annual average full-time equivalent certificated classroom teacher's direct classroom contact hours shall average at least twenty-five hours per week. Direct classroom contact hours shall be exclusive of time required to be spent for preparation, conferences, or any other nonclassroom instruction duties. Up to two hundred minutes per week may be deducted from the twenty-five contact hour requirement, at the discretion of the school district board of directors, to accommodate authorized teacher/parent-guardian conferences, recess, passing time between classes, and informal instructional activity. Implementing rules to be adopted by the state board of education pursuant to RCW 28A.150.220(4) shall provide that compliance with the direct contact hour requirement shall be based upon teachers' normally assigned weekly instructional schedules, as assigned by the district administration. Additional record-keeping by classroom teachers as a means of accounting for contact hours shall not be required. Waivers from contact hours may be requested under RCW 28A.305.140.

Sec. 3. RCW 28A.150.260 and 1997 c 13 s 2 are each amended to read as follows: