BILL REQ. #:  H-5351.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/05/08.   

     AN ACT Relating to monitoring and addressing achievement of groups of students; and amending RCW 28A.300.130, 43.06B.020, and 28A.655.090.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.300.130 and 2006 c 116 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) To facilitate access to information and materials on educational improvement and research, the superintendent of public instruction, to the extent funds are appropriated, shall establish the center for the improvement of student learning. The center shall work in conjunction with parents, educational service districts, institutions of higher education, and education, parent, community, and business organizations.
     (2) The center, in conjunction with other staff in the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall:
     (a) Serve as a clearinghouse for information regarding successful educational improvement and parental involvement programs in schools and districts, and information about efforts within institutions of higher education in the state to support educational improvement initiatives in Washington schools and districts;
     (b) Provide best practices research that can be used to help schools develop and implement: Programs and practices to improve instruction; systems to analyze student assessment data, with an emphasis on systems that will combine the use of state and local data to monitor the academic progress of each and every student in the school district; comprehensive, school-wide improvement plans; school-based shared decision-making models; programs to promote lifelong learning and community involvement in education; school-to-work transition programs; programs to meet the needs of highly capable students; programs and practices to meet the needs of students with disabilities; programs and practices to meet the diverse needs of students based on gender, racial, ethnic, economic, and special needs status; research, information, and technology systems; and other programs and practices that will assist educators in helping students learn the essential academic learning requirements;
     (c) Develop and maintain an internet web site to increase the availability of information, research, and other materials;
     (d) Work with appropriate organizations to inform teachers, district and school administrators, and school directors about the waivers available and the broadened school board powers under RCW 28A.320.015;
     (e) Provide training and consultation services, including conducting regional summer institutes;
     (f) Identify strategies for improving the success rates of ethnic and racial student groups and students with disabilities, with disproportionate academic achievement;
     (g) Work with parents, teachers, and school districts in establishing a model absentee notification procedure that will properly notify parents when their student has not attended a class or has missed a school day. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall consider various types of communication with parents including, but not limited to, electronic mail, phone, and postal mail; and
     (h) Perform other functions consistent with the purpose of the center as prescribed in subsection (1) of this section.
     (3) The superintendent of public instruction shall select and employ a director for the center.
     (4) The superintendent may enter into contracts with individuals or organizations including but not limited to: School districts; educational service districts; educational organizations; teachers; higher education faculty; institutions of higher education; state agencies; business or community-based organizations; and other individuals and organizations to accomplish the duties and responsibilities of the center. In carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the center, the superintendent, whenever possible, shall use practitioners to assist agency staff as well as assist educators and others in schools and districts.
     (5) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall report to the legislature by September 1, 2007, and thereafter biennially, regarding the effectiveness of the center for (([the])) the improvement of student learning, how the services provided by the center for (([the])) the improvement of student learning have been used and by whom, and recommendations to improve the accessibility and application of knowledge and information that leads to improved student learning and greater family and community involvement in the public education system.

Sec. 2   RCW 43.06B.020 and 2006 c 116 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     The education ombudsman shall have the following powers and duties:
     (1) To develop parental involvement materials, including instructional guides developed to inform parents of the essential academic learning requirements required by the superintendent of public instruction. The instructional guides also shall contain actions parents may take to assist their children in meeting the requirements, and should focus on reaching parents who have not previously been involved with their children's education;
     (2) To provide information to students, parents, and interested members of the public regarding this state's public elementary and secondary education system;
     (3) To identify obstacles to greater parent and community involvement in school shared decision-making processes and recommend strategies for helping parents and community members to participate effectively in school shared decision-making processes, including understanding and respecting the roles of school building administrators and staff;
     (4) To identify and recommend strategies for improving the success rates of ethnic and racial student groups and students with disabilities, with disproportionate academic achievement;
     (5) To refer complainants and others to appropriate resources, agencies, or departments;
     (6) To facilitate the resolution of complaints made by parents and students with regard to the state's public elementary and secondary education system;
     (7) To perform such other functions consistent with the purpose of the education ombudsman; and
     (8) To consult with representatives of the following organizations and groups regarding the work of the office of the education ombudsman, including but not limited to:
     (a) The state parent teacher association;
     (b) Certificated and classified school employees;
     (c) School and school district administrators;
     (d) Parents of special education students;
     (e) Parents of English language learners;
     (f) The Washington state commission on Hispanic affairs;
     (g) The Washington state commission on African-American affairs;
     (h) The Washington state commission on Asian Pacific American affairs; and
     (i) The governor's office of Indian affairs.

Sec. 3   RCW 28A.655.090 and 1999 c 388 s 301 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) By September 10, 1998, and by September 10th each year thereafter, the superintendent of public instruction shall report to schools, school districts, and the legislature on the results of the Washington assessment of student learning and state-mandated norm-referenced standardized tests.
     (2) The reports shall include the assessment results by school and school district, and include changes over time. For the Washington assessment of student learning, results shall be reported as follows:
     (a) The percentage of students meeting the standards;
     (b) The percentage of students performing at each level of the assessment; ((and))
     (c) Disaggregation of results by at least the following subgroups of students: White, Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Pacific Islander/Hawaiian Native, low income, transitional bilingual, migrant, special education, and, beginning with the 2009-10 school year, students covered by section 504 of the federal rehabilitation act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794); and
     (d) A learning improvement index that shows changes in student performance within the different levels of student learning reported on the Washington assessment of student learning.
     (3) The reports shall contain data regarding the different characteristics of schools, such as poverty levels, percent of English as a second language students, dropout rates, attendance, percent of students in special education, and student mobility so that districts and schools can learn from the improvement efforts of other schools and districts with similar characteristics.
     (4) The reports shall contain student scores on mandated tests by comparable Washington schools of similar characteristics.
     (5) The reports shall contain information on public school choice options available to students, including vocational education.
     (6) The reports shall be posted on the superintendent of public instruction's internet web site.
     (7) To protect the privacy of students, the results of schools and districts that test fewer than ten students in a grade level shall not be reported. In addition, in order to ensure that results are reported accurately, the superintendent of public instruction shall maintain the confidentiality of statewide data files until the superintendent determines that the data are complete and accurate.
     (8) The superintendent of public instruction shall monitor the percentage and number of special education and limited English-proficient students exempted from taking the assessments by schools and school districts to ensure the exemptions are in compliance with exemption guidelines.