Declares that the goal of the basic education act for the schools of the state of Washington set forth in this act shall be to provide students with the opportunity to become responsible and respectful global citizens, to contribute to their economic well-being and that of their families and communities, to explore and understand different perspectives, and to enjoy productive and satisfying lives. Additionally, the state of Washington intends to provide for a public school system that is able to evolve and adapt in order to better focus on strengthening the educational achievement of all students, which includes high expectations for all students and gives all students the opportunity to achieve personal and academic success. To these ends, the goals of each school district, with the involvement of parents and community members, shall be to provide opportunities for every student to develop the knowledge and skills essential to: (1) Read with comprehension, write effectively, and communicate successfully in a variety of ways and settings and with a variety of audiences;

(2) Know and apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics; social, physical, and life sciences; civics and history, including different cultures and participation in representative government; geography; arts; and health and fitness;

(3) Think analytically, logically, and creatively, and to integrate different experiences and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems; and

(4) Understand the importance of work and finance and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities.

Provides that, beginning with the 2007-08 school year, funding for voluntary all-day kindergarten programs shall be phased-in beginning with schools with the highest poverty levels, defined as those schools with the highest percentages of students qualifying for free and reduced-price lunch support in the prior school year. Once a school receives funding for the all-day kindergarten program, that school shall remain eligible for funding in subsequent school years regardless of changes in the school's percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunches as long as other program requirements are fulfilled.

Provides that schools receiving all-day kindergarten program support shall agree to the following conditions: (1) Providing at least a one thousand-hour instructional program;

(2) Providing a curriculum that offers a rich, varied set of experiences that assist students in: (a) developing initial skills in the academic areas of reading, mathematics, and writing; (b) developing a variety of communication skills; (c) providing experiences in science, social studies, arts, health and physical education, and a world language other than English; (d) acquiring large and small motor skills; (e) acquiring social and emotional skills including successful participation in learning activities as an individual and as part of a group; (f) establishing learning environments that are developmentally appropriate and promote creativity; and (g) learning through hands-on experiences;

(3) Demonstrating strong connections and communication with early learning community providers; and

(4) Participating in kindergarten program readiness activities with early learning providers and parents.

Declares that four demonstration projects are authorized for schools serving kindergarten through third grade students to develop, implement, and document the effects of a comprehensive K-3 foundations program. At least two demonstration projects shall be in schools that are participating in the public-private early learning partnerships in the Highline and Yakima school districts. The third demonstration project shall be in the Spokane school district.

Requires the office of the superintendent of public instruction to contract with the Northwest regional educational laboratory to conduct an evaluation of the demonstration projects under this act. Student, staff, program, and parent data shall be collected using various instruments including surveys, program and activity descriptions, student performance measures, observations, and other processes.

Provides that, within available funding, findings from the evaluation under this act shall include conclusions regarding the degree to which students thrive in the education environment; student progress in academic, social, and emotional areas; the program components that have been most important to student success; the degree to which educational staff feel accomplished in their work and satisfied with student progress; and recommendations for continued implementation and expansion of the program.

Requires the institute for public policy to report its findings to the governor, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, and the appropriate early learning, education, and fiscal committees of the legislature. An interim report is due November 1, 2008. The final report is due December 1, 2009.

Declares that the goals of the English as a second language demonstration project are to develop recommendations: (1) Identifying foundational competencies for developing academic English skills in English language learner students that all teachers should acquire in initial teacher preparation programs;

(2) Identifying components of a professional development program that builds classroom teacher competence for developing academic English skills in English language learner students; and

(3) Identifying job-embedded practices that connect the English language learner teacher and classroom teachers to coordinate instruction to support the work of the student.

Requires the institute for public policy to report its findings to the governor, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, and the appropriate early learning, education, and fiscal committees of the legislature. An interim report is due November 1, 2008. The final report is due December 1, 2009.

Directs the office of the superintendent of public instruction to review and streamline the application process to access special education safety net funds, provide technical assistance to school districts, and annually survey school districts regarding improvements to the process.

"AN ACT Relating to enhancing student learning opportunities and student achievement."