BILL REQ. #:  H-3243.1 

Read first time 01/15/14.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     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; or
     (g) 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.