BILL REQ. #: H-4065.1
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2014 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/05/14.
AN ACT Relating to promoting expanded learning opportunities as a strategy to close the educational opportunity gap and prevent summer learning loss; adding new sections to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) The legislature finds that expanded
learning opportunities offered by partnerships between schools and
community-based organizations create enriching experiences for youth,
with activities that complement and support classroom-based
instruction. The legislature further finds that expanded learning
opportunities are a key strategy to close the educational opportunity
gap, prevent summer learning loss, and prevent school dropout.
(2) Therefore the purpose of this act is to build capacity in
communities and schools in designing and delivering expanded learning
opportunities that target disadvantaged students at risk of school
failure or who are enrolled in low-performing schools that experience
chronic opportunity gaps.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 28A.300
RCW to read as follows:
(1) Expanded learning opportunities under sections 3 and 4 of this
act have the following characteristics:
(a) Offer structured, intentional, creative learning environments
outside the traditional school day;
(b) Build linkages with schools to align in-school and out-of-school learning;
(c) Are coordinated with schools to create enriching experiences
with activities that complement classroom-based instruction;
(d) In collaboration with schools and educators, are provided by
community-based organizations comprising school-based, after-school,
and youth development organizations offering before-and-after-school,
summer, and extended day, week, or year programs;
(e) Provide a range of culturally responsive enrichment and
learning activities; and
(f) Focus on academic and nonacademic areas; the arts; civic
engagement; service-learning; science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics; and competencies for college and career readiness, twenty-first century skills, and global citizenship.
(2) The target student population to receive expanded learning
opportunities under sections 3 and 4 of this act is students in grades
kindergarten through eight who:
(a) Consistently perform below grade level in academic subjects,
course grades, and classroom assessments;
(b) Are not meeting standards on statewide assessments,
particularly in third grade English language arts;
(c) Exhibit high levels of absenteeism and truancy;
(d) Are below grade-level expectations in nonacademic areas such as
social-emotional and behavioral skills development;
(e) Have received discipline referrals for suspension or expulsion;
(f) Attend a chronically underperforming school, with high numbers
of students not meeting standards on statewide assessments, high
numbers of low-income students, and high educational opportunity gaps;
(g) Are English language learners; or
(h) Are "vulnerable students" as defined in RCW 28A.175.074.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 28A.300
RCW to read as follows:
(1) Subject to funds appropriated specifically for this purpose,
the summer expanded learning opportunities grant program is
established. The purpose of the grant program is to build capacity for
partnerships between schools and community-based organizations to
design and deliver evidence-based and innovative enrichment programs
designed to prevent summer learning loss among target student
populations.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall
identify criteria for the award of grants, with a strong priority for
grants to applications demonstrating the following:
(a) Strong partnerships between schools and community-based
organizations, including the availability of matching funds or in-kind
donations;
(b) Services for large numbers of the target student population
with the highest needs; and
(c) Culturally responsive family and community engagement and
capacity building for communities with low-performing schools,
pervasive poverty, cultural barriers, and geographic isolation.
(3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must
award grants proportionately between applying community-based
organizations and school districts or educational service districts.
Grant funds may be expended to support pupil transportation to and from
the expanded learning opportunities programs. Grant recipients must
collect data on program inputs and outcomes as specified by the office
of the superintendent of public instruction, and the office must
conduct a program evaluation of the grants using the collected data and
other information that focuses on improved student outcomes. The
office must prepare an evaluation report for the summer expanded
learning opportunities grant program every two years.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 28A.300
RCW to read as follows:
(1) Subject to funds appropriated specifically for this purpose,
the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall contract
with a statewide nonprofit organization to build capacity for, promote,
and sustain an expanded learning opportunities system for elementary
and secondary education and to support implementation of the summer
expanded learning opportunities grant program established under section
3 of this act.
(2) The selected organization must have skills as a state
intermediary and experience in building statewide capacity for
partnerships between schools and community-based organizations,
including convening partners, providing technical assistance, offering
training and professional development, establishing data-sharing
protocols, monitoring student outcomes, and using evidence-based
strategies for student-centered learning, quality standards, core
competencies, and continuous improvement.
(3) Under the terms of the contract, the organization must:
(a) Implement a statewide communications plan to enhance awareness
of expanded learning opportunities as a strategy to close the
opportunity gap, prevent summer learning loss, and prevent school
dropout;
(b) Convene regional networks of schools, community-based
organizations, local government agencies, institutions of higher
education, educational service districts, and businesses to develop
expanded learning opportunities and leverage local and regional
resources;
(c) Coordinate an outreach campaign to bring public and private
organizations together and provide information about expanded learning
opportunities and grant opportunities;
(d) Provide technical assistance, training, and professional
development to support the activities and initiatives under section 3
of this act and build statewide capacity for strong partnerships,
quality expanded learning opportunities, use of evidence-based and
innovative enrichment and experiential strategies, and cultural
competence and responsiveness; and
(e) Report annually to the office of the superintendent of public
instruction on the activities under this section.
(4) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in
consultation with the contracted nonprofit organization under this
section, shall develop guidelines, templates, and frameworks that
support model partnerships between schools and community-based
organizations to support expanded learning opportunities, to include:
(a) Memoranda of understanding between schools and community-based
organizations;
(b) Models for frequent communication between schools and
community-based organizations;
(c) Data-sharing agreements allowing for monitoring of student
academic progress and outcomes;
(d) Regularly updated student-centered learning plans;
(e) Family engagement to support participating students in and out
of school;
(f) Continuous quality improvement;
(g) Quality standards;
(h) Joint professional development for schools and community-based
organizations; and
(i) Opportunities to leverage local resources and nonpublic funds.