BILL REQ. #:  S-1486.1 

Read first time 02/08/2007.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to establishing a new high poverty school district allocation; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.150 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28A.150 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A new allocation is established to provide additional funding to school districts to allow them to further assist struggling students. In establishing this allocation, the legislature is recognizing the impact that poverty, particularly high concentrations of poverty, has on overall student performance. The intent behind this allocation is to give school districts additional resources to provide extended learning opportunities including, but not limited to, tutoring, additional assistance before, during, and after the regular school day, and summer school opportunities. Further, the intent behind this new allocation is to augment and not supplant funding provided through the learning assistance program, the student achievement fund, federal Title I allocations, and other moneys currently spent on these activities.
     (2) A district is eligible for an allocation if, in the prior school year, the district's percentage of October headcount enrollment in grades K-12 eligible for free lunch exceeded the statewide average.
     (3) In the 2007-08 school year and each subsequent school year, each eligible district based on the criteria in subsection (1) of this section, shall receive an allocation based on the percentage by which the district's percentage of October headcount enrollment in grades K-12 eligible for free lunch exceeded the statewide average, multiplied by five hundred eighty-one dollars per K-12 full-time equivalent student in that district in the prior school year. After the 2007-08 school year, the amount of the per-student allocation shall be adjusted for inflation as measured by the average annual consumer price index, compiled by the bureau of labor statistics, in the prior fiscal year.
     (4) Each district receiving an allocation under this section shall annually report to its citizens the impact of the activities funded on graduation rates, student attendance, student achievement, closing the achievement gap, and reducing dropouts.
     (5) The allocation created in this section shall not be considered part of the legislature's definition of basic education.