READ FIRST TIME 02/11/14.   

     AN ACT Relating to expanded learning opportunities; adding new sections to chapter 28A.630 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that studies have documented that many students experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. The legislature further finds that research shows that summer learning loss contributes to educational opportunity gaps between students, and that falling behind in academics can be a predictor of whether a student will drop out of school. The legislature recognizes that such academic regression has a disproportionate impact on low-income students.
     (2) The legislature further finds that expanded learning opportunities, including those 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 acknowledges that access to quality expanded learning opportunities during the school year and summer helps mitigate summer learning loss and improves academic performance, attendance, on-time grade advancement, and classroom behaviors.
     (3) Therefore the legislature intends to build capacity, identify best practices, leverage local resources, and promote a sustainable expanded learning opportunities system by providing an infrastructure that helps coordinate expanded learning opportunities throughout the state. To the extent funds are provided for this purpose, the legislature also intends to authorize a pilot program specifically to combat summer learning loss through expanded learning opportunities, which will provide the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of an extended school year in improving student achievement, closing the educational opportunity gap, and providing successful models for other districts to follow.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   DEFINITION OF EXPANDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. As used in this section and sections 3 through 7 of this act, "expanded learning opportunities" means:
     (1) Culturally responsive enrichment and learning activities, which may focus on academic and nonacademic areas; the arts; civic engagement; service-learning; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and competencies for college and career readiness;
     (2) School-based programs that provide extended learning and enrichment for students beyond the traditional school day, week, or calendar; and
     (3) Structured, intentional, and creative learning environments outside the traditional school day that are provided by community-based organizations in partnership with schools and align in-school and out-of-school learning through activities that complement classroom-based instruction.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   CREATION OF COUNCIL. (1) The expanded learning opportunities council is established to advise the governor, the legislature, and the superintendent of public instruction regarding a comprehensive expanded learning opportunities system, with particular attention paid to solutions to summer learning loss.
     (2) The council shall provide a vision, guidance, assistance, and advice related to potential improvement and expansion of summer learning opportunities, school year calendar modifications that will help reduce summer learning loss, increasing partnerships between schools and community-based organizations to deliver expanded learning opportunities, and other current or proposed programs and initiatives across the spectrum of early elementary through secondary education that could contribute to a statewide system of expanded learning opportunities.
     (3) The council shall identify fiscal, resource, and partnership opportunities; coordinate policy development; set quality standards; promote evidence-based strategies; and develop a comprehensive action plan designed to implement expanded learning opportunities, address summer learning loss, provide academic supports, build strong partnerships between schools and community-based organizations, and track performance of expanded learning opportunities in closing the opportunity gap.
     (4) When making recommendations regarding evidence-based strategies, the council shall consider the best practices on the state menus developed in accordance with RCW 28A.165.035 and 28A.655.235.
     (5) The superintendent of public instruction shall convene the expanded learning opportunities council. The members of the council must have experience with expanded learning opportunities and include groups and agencies representing diverse student interests and geographical locations across the state. Up to fifteen participants, agencies, organizations, or individuals may be invited to participate in the council, and the membership shall include the following:
     (a) Three representatives from nonprofit community-based organizations;
     (b) One representative from regional work force development councils;
     (c) One representative from each of the following organizations or agencies:
     (i) The Washington state school directors' association;
     (ii) The state-level association of school administrators;
     (iii) The state-level association of school principals;
     (iv) The state board of education;
     (v) The statewide association representing certificated classroom teachers and educational staff associates;
     (vi) The office of the superintendent of public instruction;
     (vii) The state-level parent–teacher association;
     (viii) Higher education; and
     (ix) A nonprofit organization with statewide experience in expanded learning opportunities frameworks.
     (6) Staff support for the expanded learning opportunity council shall be provided by the office of the superintendent of public instruction and other state agencies as necessary. Appointees of the council shall be selected by May 30, 2014. The council shall hold its first meeting before August 1, 2014. At the first meeting, the council shall determine regularly scheduled meeting times and locations.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   REPORTS FROM COUNCIL. (1) The expanded learning opportunities council shall provide a report to the governor and the legislature by December 1, 2014, and each December 1st thereafter until December 1, 2018, that summarizes accomplishments, measures progress, and contains recommendations regarding continued development of an expanded learning opportunities system and reducing summer learning loss.
     (2) If funds are appropriated for a summer knowledge improvement pilot program as provided under sections 5 through 7 of this act or other initiatives to reduce summer learning loss or increase expanded learning opportunities, the expanded learning opportunities council shall monitor the progress of the program or initiative and serve as a resource for participating schools and community-based organizations. The council shall also oversee an evaluation of the effectiveness of the program or initiative in reducing summer learning loss and improving student academic progress.
     (3) If new funds are not appropriated for a summer knowledge improvement pilot program or other initiatives to reduce summer learning loss, the first report from the council, and any subsequent reports as necessary, shall include recommendations for a framework and action plan for a program to reduce summer learning loss through the provision of state funds for additional student learning days in elementary schools with significant populations of low-income students. The council may also recommend additional strategies to reduce summer learning loss, including through expanded learning opportunities offered in partnership between schools and community-based organizations.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   SUMMER KNOWLEDGE IMPROVEMENT PILOT PROGRAM. (1) Subject to funds being appropriated for this specific purpose, the summer knowledge improvement pilot program is created to provide state funding for an additional twenty student learning days for three consecutive school years in selected schools for students to receive academic instruction outside of the school year established for other schools in the school district.
     (2) If appropriated, state funding for each school in the pilot program shall be equal to twenty days of the average daily per student amount of all basic education and nonbasic education funding provided by the state to the school for the regular one hundred eighty-day school year, including for pupil transportation. Nonstate-provided funds may also be used to support the pilot program.
     (3) The purpose of the pilot program is to implement an extended school year to combat summer learning loss and provide an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of an extended school year in improving student achievement, closing the educational opportunity gap, and providing successful models for other districts to follow.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   PLAN PROCESS AND COMPONENTS. (1) Any school district with an eligible school may submit a plan to the office of the superintendent of public instruction to participate in the summer knowledge improvement pilot program. A plan may address one or more eligible schools. The office shall establish timelines for submitting and reviewing applications.
     (2) For the purposes of this section, "eligible school" means any school that provides instruction to students in at least grades kindergarten through five where at least seventy-five percent of the enrolled students qualify for free and reduced-price meals.
     (3) The school district board of directors must solicit input on the design of the plan from staff at the school, parents, and the community, including at an open public meeting. The final plan must be adopted by the school district board of directors at a subsequent open public meeting before the plan is submitted to the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
     (4) A plan must include, but is not limited to, the following components:
     (a) Proposed best practices and evidence-based strategies, curriculum, and materials for improving student achievement and closing the educational opportunity gap to be implemented over the extra twenty days for all students enrolled in the school. The best practices and evidence-based strategies, curriculum, and materials must be comparable to or higher in academic rigor than those used during the regular school year;
     (b) A description of when the additional twenty days will be provided;
     (c) Identification of the measures that the school district will use in assessing student achievement;
     (d) Evidence that the principal of the school and at least seventy percent of the certificated and classified staff who work in the school at least two days per week agree to the plan;
     (e) Whether the school will collaborate with community-based organizations to provide support for students during the additional twenty days and for the rest of the summer, and if so, the details of this collaboration; and
     (f) An agreement to provide information necessary for a program evaluation.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   SELECTION OF SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS. (1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must review the plans submitted in accordance with section 6 of this act and select up to ten schools for participation in the pilot program, or as many schools as can be supported through the appropriated funds. To the extent practicable, the selected school districts shall be from diverse geographic regions of the state and include different sizes of school districts and schools.
     (2) The selection criteria must include, but are not limited to, the following determinations:
     (a) All of the required plan components are completed;
     (b) The likelihood that the proposed best practices and evidence-based strategies, curriculum, and materials will improve student achievement and close the educational opportunity gap; and
     (c) Any additional criteria that the office of the superintendent of public instruction deems necessary to ensure a high quality pilot program.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   Sections 2 through 7 of this act are each added to chapter 28A.630 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9   This act expires August 31, 2019.