BILL REQ. #:  H-3053.1 

Read first time 01/21/14.   Referred to Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to supporting family and community engagement in persistently lowest-achieving schools; adding a new section to chapter 28A.657 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds research evidence of a positive relationship between family engagement and improved academic achievement. This is true across socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and educational backgrounds for students of all ages. The legislature further finds that in order to be successful in school, students must have their social, economic, and family needs as well as their academic needs met. Schools cannot accomplish this in isolation, but instead must establish partnerships with community organizations and agencies, businesses, and other local groups. The importance of families and communities particularly for low-achieving schools is recognized: One of the seven turnaround principles under state and federal school improvement is providing ongoing mechanisms for family and community engagement.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.657 RCW to read as follows:
     Subject to funds appropriated specifically for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall award grants on a competitive basis to persistently lowest-achieving schools identified under this chapter to support implementation of successful models of family and community engagement. To qualify for a grant, a school must demonstrate that its academic performance audit and needs assessment based on the turnaround principles indicate a need for improved family and community engagement. In addition, the school must develop its proposal for specific strategies or programs of family and community engagement to be supported by the grant with input and participation from families and community organizations associated with the school. Grants awarded under this section may not exceed a duration of three years.