1541-S2 AMH SANT WARG 123

2SHB 1541 - H AMD 133

By Representative Santos

ADOPTED 03/05/2015

On page 8, line 21, after "and" insert "have"

    On page 32, after line 2, insert the following:

"PART VIII

INTEGRATED STUDENT SERVICES AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

NEW SECTION. Sec. 801.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The Washington integrated student supports protocol is established. The protocol shall be developed by the center for the improvement of student learning, established in RCW 28A.300.130, based on the framework described in this section. The purposes of the protocol include:

    (a) Supporting a school-based approach to promoting the success of all students by coordinating academic and nonacademic supports to reduce barriers to academic achievement and educational attainment;

    (b) Fulfilling a vision of public education where educators focus on education, students focus on learning, and auxiliary supports enable teaching and learning to occur unimpeded;

    (c) Encouraging the creation, expansion, and quality improvement of community-based supports that can be integrated into the academic environment of schools and school districts;

    (d) Increasing public awareness of the evidence showing that academic outcomes are a result of both academic and nonacademic factors; and

    (e) Supporting statewide and local organizations in their efforts to provide leadership, coordination, technical assistance, professional development, and advocacy to implement high-quality, evidence-based, student-centered, coordinated approaches throughout the state.

    (2)(a) The Washington integrated student supports protocol must be sufficiently flexible to adapt to the unique needs of schools and districts across the state, yet sufficiently structured to provide all students with the individual support they need for academic success.

    (b) The essential framework of the Washington integrated student supports protocol includes:

    (i) Needs assessments: A needs assessment must be conducted for all at-risk students in order to develop or identify the needed academic and nonacademic supports within the students' school and community.  These supports must be coordinated to provide students with a package of mutually reinforcing supports designed to meet the individual needs of each student.

    (ii) Integration and coordination: The school and district leadership and staff must develop close relationships with providers of academic and nonacademic supports to enhance the effectiveness of the protocol.

    (iii) Community partnerships: Community partners must be engaged to provide nonacademic supports to reduce barriers to students' academic success, including supports to students' families.

    (iv) Data driven: Students' needs and outcomes must be tracked over time to determine student progress and evolving needs.

    (c) The framework must facilitate the ability of any academic or nonacademic provider to support the needs of at-risk students, including, but not limited to:  out-of-school providers, social workers, mental health counselors, physicians, dentists, speech therapists, and audiologists.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 802.  (1) The legislature intends to integrate the delivery of various academic and non-academic programs and services through a single protocol.  This coordination and consolidation of assorted services, such as expanded learning opportunities, mental health, medical screening, and access to food and housing, is intended to reduce barriers to academic achievement and educational attainment by weaving together existing public and private resources needed to support student success in school.

    (2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall create a work group to determine how to best implement the framework described in section 801 of this act throughout the state.

    (3) The work group must be composed of the following members, who must reflect the geographic diversity across the state:

    (a) The superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee;

    (b) Three principals and three superintendents representing districts with diverse characteristics, selected by state associations of principals and superintendents, respectively;

    (c) A representative from a statewide organization specializing in out-of-school learning;

    (d) A representative from an organization with expertise in the needs of homeless students;

    (e) A school counselor from an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school, selected by a state association of school counselors;

    (f) A representative of an organization that is an expert on a multitiered system of supports; and

    (g) A representative from a career and technical student organization.

    (4) The superintendent of public instruction shall consult and may contract for services with a national nonpartisan, nonprofit research center that has provided data and analyses to improve policies and programs serving children and youth for over thirty-five years.

    (5) The work group must submit to the appropriate committees of the legislature a report recommending policies that need to be adopted or revised to implement the framework described in section 801 of this act throughout the state by October 1, 2016. The work group must submit a preliminary report by October 1, 2015, and a final report by October 1, 2016.

    (6) This section expires August 1, 2017.

    Sec. 803.  RCW 28A.165.035 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 203 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) ((Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, expenditure of funds from the learning assistance program must be consistent with the provisions of RCW 28A.655.235.

    (2))) Use of best practices that have been demonstrated through research to be associated with increased student achievement magnifies the opportunities for student success. To the extent they are included as a best practice or strategy in one of the state menus or an approved alternative under this section or RCW 28A.655.235, the following are services and activities that may be supported by the learning assistance program:

    (a) Extended learning time opportunities occurring:

    (i) Before or after the regular school day;

    (ii) On Saturday; and

    (iii) Beyond the regular school year;

    (b) Services under RCW 28A.320.190;

    (c) The integrated student supports protocol and services under section 801 of this act;

(d) Professional development for certificated and classified staff that focuses on:

    (i) The needs of a diverse student population;

    (ii) Specific literacy and mathematics content and instructional strategies; and

    (iii) The use of student work to guide effective instruction and appropriate assistance;

    (((d))) (e) Consultant teachers to assist in implementing effective instructional practices by teachers serving participating students;

    (((e))) (f) Tutoring support for participating students;

    (((f))) (g) Outreach activities and support for parents of participating students, including employing parent and family engagement coordinators; and

    (((g))) (h) Up to five percent of a district's learning assistance program allocation may be used for development of partnerships with community-based organizations, educational service districts, and other local agencies to deliver academic and nonacademic supports to participating students who are significantly at risk of not being successful in school to reduce barriers to learning, increase student engagement, and enhance students' readiness to learn. The ((office of the superintendent of public instruction)) school board must approve in an open meeting any community-based organization or local agency before learning assistance funds may be expended.

    (((3))) (2) In addition to the state menu developed under RCW 28A.655.235, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall convene a panel of experts, including the Washington state institute for public policy, to develop additional state menus of best practices and strategies for use in the learning assistance program to assist struggling students at all grade levels in English language arts and mathematics ((and reduce disruptive behaviors in the classroom)). The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall publish the state menus by July 1, 2015, and update the state menus by each July 1st thereafter.

    (((4))) (3)(a) Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, except as provided in (b) of this subsection, school districts must use a practice or strategy that is on a state menu developed under subsection (((3)))(2) of this section or RCW 28A.655.235.

    (b) Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, school districts may use a practice or strategy that is not on a state menu developed under subsection (((3)))(2) of this section for two school years initially. If the district is able to demonstrate improved outcomes for participating students over the previous two school years at a level commensurate with the best practices and strategies on the state menu, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall approve use of the alternative practice or strategy by the district for one additional school year. Subsequent annual approval by the superintendent of public instruction to use the alternative practice or strategy is dependent on the district continuing to demonstrate increased improved outcomes for participating students.

    (c) Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, school districts may enter cooperative agreements with state agencies, local governments, or school districts for administrative or operational costs needed to provide services in accordance with the state menus developed under this section and RCW 28A.655.235.

    (((5))) (4) School districts are encouraged to implement best practices and strategies from the state menus developed under this section and RCW 28A.655.235 before the use is required.

    Sec. 804.  RCW 28A.165.055 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 205 are each amended to read as follows:

    The funds for the learning assistance program shall be appropriated in accordance with RCW 28A.150.260 and the omnibus appropriations act. The distribution formula is for school district allocation purposes only, but funds appropriated for the learning assistance program must be expended for the purposes of RCW 28A.165.005 through 28A.165.065 and 28A.655.235. The funds may also be appropriated for the integrated student supports protocol and services under section 801 of this act.

Sec. 805.  RCW 28A.300.130 and 2009 c 578 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) To facilitate access to information and materials on educational improvement and research, the superintendent of public instruction((, to the extent funds are appropriated,)) shall establish the center for the improvement of student learning. The center shall work in conjunction with parents, educational service districts, institutions of higher education, and education, parent, community, and business organizations.

(2) The center,((to the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose, and)) in conjunction with other staff in the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall:

(a) Serve as a clearinghouse for information regarding successful educational improvement and parental involvement programs in schools and districts, and information about efforts within institutions of higher education in the state to support educational improvement initiatives in Washington schools and districts;

(b) Provide best practices research that can be used to help schools develop and implement: Programs and practices to improve instruction; systems to analyze student assessment data, with an emphasis on systems that will combine the use of state and local data to monitor the academic progress of each and every student in the school district; comprehensive, school-wide improvement plans; school-based shared decision-making models; programs to promote lifelong learning and community involvement in education; school-to-work transition programs; programs to meet the needs of highly capable students; programs and practices to meet the needs of students with disabilities; programs and practices to meet the diverse needs of students based on gender, racial, ethnic, economic, and special needs status; research, information, and technology systems; and other programs and practices that will assist educators in helping students learn the essential academic learning requirements;

(c) Develop and maintain an internet web site to increase the availability of information, research, and other materials;

(d) Work with appropriate organizations to inform teachers, district and school administrators, and school directors about the waivers available and the broadened school board powers under RCW 28A.320.015;

(e) Provide training and consultation services, including conducting regional summer institutes;

(f) Identify strategies for improving the success rates of ethnic and racial student groups and students with disabilities, with disproportionate academic achievement;

(g) Work with parents, teachers, and school districts in establishing a model absentee notification procedure that will properly notify parents when their student has not attended a class or has missed a school day. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall consider various types of communication with parents including, but not limited to, electronic mail, phone, and postal mail; and

(h) Perform other functions consistent with the purpose of the center as prescribed in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The superintendent of public instruction shall select and employ a director for the center.

(4) The superintendent may enter into contracts with individuals or organizations including but not limited to: School districts; educational service districts; educational organizations; teachers; higher education faculty; institutions of higher education; state agencies; business or community-based organizations; and other individuals and organizations to accomplish the duties and responsibilities of the center. In carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the center, the superintendent, whenever possible, shall use practitioners to assist agency staff as well as assist educators and others in schools and districts.

(5) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall report to the legislature by September 1, 2007, and thereafter biennially, regarding the effectiveness of the center for the improvement of student learning, how the services provided by the center for the improvement of student learning have been used and by whom, and recommendations to improve the accessibility and application of knowledge and information that leads to improved student learning and greater family and community involvement in the public education system."

Correct the title.

EFFECT:   Makes the following changes:

· Creates the Washington Integrated Student Supports Protocol (WISSP) at the Center for Improvement of Student Learning to support a school-based approach to promoting the success of all students by coordinating academic and non-academic supports to reduce barriers to academic achievement and educational attainment. Provides that the framework for the WISSP includes needs assessments, integration and coordination, and community partnerships, and is data driven.

· Requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to create a work group to determine how to best implement the WSIPP framework and report to the Legislature by October 1, 2015 and 2016.

· Adds the WISSP to the list of services and activities that may be supported by the Learning Assistance Program (LAP); removes the requirement that expenditure of funds from the LAP be consistent with certain academic achievement and accountability provisions; provides that the school board, rather than the OSPI, approve community-based organization or local agency before LAP funds may be expended, and requires the approval to occur in an open meeting; and removes the provision allowing the LAP funds to be used to reduce disruptive behaviors in the classroom.

· Removes the limitation that the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning be established and perform certain functions only to the extent funds are appropriated for the purpose.

· Makes a technical correction.

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