FINAL BILL REPORT

2SSB 5427

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background: In 2009 the Legislature provided $100,000 over the biennium, contingent on an equal match from private sources, for the Department of Early Learning (DEL) to work with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and others to identify and test a kindergarten assessment process and tools in geographically diverse school districts. During the fall of 2010, OSPI piloted the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS). The pilot reached 2600 incoming kindergarteners who were in 115 classrooms around the state. The purpose of WaKIDS is to gather information about the child in order to better inform teacher instruction. DEL submitted a report to the Legislature on January 15, 2011. A final report will be available in the summer of 2011.

In 2009 the Legislature redefined the minimum instructional program of Basic Education to include 180 days of half-day kindergarten, to be phased in to 180 days of all-day kindergarten, beginning with schools with the highest poverty levels. Schools receiving funding for all-day kindergarten have to agree to program requirements, including providing at least 1000 hours of instruction, providing a rich curriculum, and having connections with community early learning programs and parents. In 2010 the Legislature directed that, effective September 1, 2011, funding to implement all-day kindergarten must be phased in until full statewide implementation is achieved in the 2017-18 school year.

Summary: Beginning with the 2011-12 school year on a voluntary basis and to the extent funds are available, schools receiving all-day kindergarten support must identify the skills, knowledge, and characteristics of kindergarten students at the beginning of the school year in order to support social-emotional, physical, and cognitive growth and development of individual children; support early learning provider and parent involvement; and inform instruction. Kindergarten teachers must administer WaKIDS, as directed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) in consultation with DEL, and report the results to the SPI, who will share the results with the Director of DEL.

Beginning in the 2012-13 school year, to the extent funds are available, WaKIDS must be administered to all students enrolled in state-funded all-day kindergarten programs. Parents and guardians may excuse their students from participating in WaKIDS.

Until full-implementation of state-funded full-day kindergarten, the SPI, in consultation with the Director of DEL, may grant annually renewable waivers in order to allow the administration of kindergarten assessments other than WaKIDS. An application for the waiver must include specified components.

Before implementing WaKIDS, the SPI and DEL must ensure that a fairness and bias review of the assessment process has been conducted, including an opportunity for input from the Achievement Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee and an additional diverse group of stakeholders.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate	31	15
House	57	39	(House amended)
Senate	36	12	(Senate concurred)

Effective:	July 22, 2011.
	September 1, 2011 (Section 1).