Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Education Committee |
SSB 6104
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: Establishing the interactive gaming in schools public-private partnership.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators McAuliffe, Litzow, Hargrove, Hill, Billig, Fraser and Brown).
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/19/14
Staff: Megan Wargacki (786-7194).
Background:
Games have been used as teaching tools for centuries. In the 1980s the video game industry began creating educational games. Educational games have developed along with advances in gaming technology.
Researchers have been studying how interactive games, particularly educational games, may be used to increase student involvement and achievement in academic activities. The University of Washington's Center for Game Science conducts research on educational games, including: scientific discovery games; games that investigate optimal learning pathways for science; technology, engineering, and mathematics education; cognitive skill training games; games that promote human creativity; and games that explore collective intelligence.
A public-private partnership is a entity funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies.
Summary of Bill:
An Interactive Gaming in Schools Public-Private Partnership (Partnership) is established. By August 1, 2014, the following members must be appointed to the Partnership:
four members of the Legislature, one from each caucus of the Senate and the House of Representatives;
four experts in the integration of interactive technology of gaming into education, with one expert nominated by each caucus of the Senate and the House of Representatives;
a member from the Department of Early Learning; and
a member from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
The chair of the Partnership must be selected from among the legislative members. Technical and logistical support may be provided by the OSPI and the organizations and participants involved in the Partnership. For administrative support, the Partnership may hire a staff person to reside in the OSPI, if funds are made available for this purpose.
Legislative members must receive per diem and reimbursement for traveling expenses. Nonlegislative members, except those representing an employer or organization, may receive reimbursement for travel expenses.
The purpose of the Partnership is to examine how interactive games may be integrated into primary and secondary education to increase student involvement and achievement. The Partnership must:
consider how interactive games and advances in technology may be integrated into Washington's education system from early learning through grade 12, with a focus on improving student engagement and achievement;
develop a proposal for a pilot program that integrates interactive games into the early learning and K-12 curricula; and
submit the pilot program proposal to the Legislature by December 1, 2015.
The Partnership may be implemented only to the extent funds are available. The bill expires January 1, 2016.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.