Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Education Committee |
HB 2548
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. |
Brief Description: Concerning basic education minimum instructional hours.
Sponsors: Representatives Bergquist, Haigh, Harris and Magendanz; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/30/14
Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).
Background:
Legislation enacted in 2009 requires school districts to increase their minimum instructional offering under Basic Education from a districtwide average of 1,000 hours across all grade levels to 1,000 hours in each of grades 1 through 6 and 1,080 hours in each of grades 7 through 12. This increase is to be implemented according to a schedule adopted by the Legislature, but not before the 2014-15 school year. A budget proviso in the 2013-15 Omnibus Appropriations Act directs school districts to implement the increased instructional hours beginning in the 2014-15 school year.
Instructional hours are defined as those hours during which students are provided the opportunity to engage in educational activity planned by and under the direction of school district staff. Time spent on recess, breaks between classes, and teacher-parent conferences is included in the definition; meal time is not.
The requirement for minimum instructional hours dates to the original Basic Education Act of 1977. At that time, school districts were required to provide a total of 4,320 hours for students in grades 9 through 12. In 1979 the law was amended to permit school districts to schedule the last five days of the school year for noninstructional purposes for graduating seniors, but still be able to claim those students as full-time equivalent students for funding purposes.
The State Board of Education has recently created a "frequently-asked questions" document regarding the new increase in instructional hours indicating that any noninstructional time during the last five days of the school year for graduating seniors may not count toward the minimum hours of instruction required.
Summary of Bill:
The implementation of increased Basic Education instructional hours adopted by the Legislature must not begin before the 2015-16 school year, rather than not before the 2014-15 school year.
Hours scheduled for noninstructional purposes during the last five days of the school year for graduating seniors count toward minimum Basic Education instructional hours.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 22, 2014.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.