HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 5721

As Reported by House Committee On:

Education

Title: An act relating to the membership of the expanded learning opportunities council.

Brief Description: Concerning the membership of the expanded learning opportunities council.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators Billig, Dammeier and Jayapal).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Education: 3/23/15, 3/30/15 [DPA].

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Santos, Chair; Ortiz-Self, Vice Chair; Reykdal, Vice Chair; Bergquist, Gregory, S. Hunt, Kilduff, Lytton, Orwall, Pollet and Springer.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Magendanz, Ranking Minority Member; Muri, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Caldier, Fagan, Griffey, Hargrove, Hayes, Klippert and McCaslin.

Minority Report: Without recommendation. Signed by 1 member: Representative Stambaugh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member.

Staff: Cece Clynch (786-7195).

Background:

Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) are defined as:

• culturally responsive enrichment and learning activities that may focus on an array of academic and nonacademic areas;

• school-based programs that provide extended learning and enriching experiences beyond the traditional school day or school-year calendar; and

• structured, intentional, and creative learning environments outside the traditional school day that are provided by community based-organizations (CBOs) in partnership with schools and align in-school and out-of-school learning to complement classroom-based instruction.

An ELO Council has been established to advise the Governor, the Legislature, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) regarding an ELO system, with particular attention to solutions to summer learning loss. The ELO Council must provide vision, guidance, and assistance related to summer learning opportunities, school-year calendar modifications to reduce summer learning loss, increasing partnerships between schools and the CBOs to deliver the ELOs, and other programs or initiatives that could contribute to a statewide ELO system.

All members of the ELO Council must have experience with the ELOs and include representation of diverse student interests and geographical locations. Up to 15 individuals were to be invited to participate, with representation from specified organizations and associations.

The membership of the ELO Council includes representatives from the following organizations, entities, and agencies:

• Washington Workforce Association;

• Peace Community Center;

• Washington State Parent Teacher Association;

• Northwest Community Action Center;

• Pacific Science Center;

• Schools Out Washington;

• Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction;

• State Board of Education;

• University of Washington;

• Spokane Public Schools;

• Washington Student Achievement Council;

• Washington State School Directors' Association;

• Association of Washington School Principals;

• Washington Association of School Administrators; and

• Washington Education Association.

The ELO Council met six times and submitted its first report in 2014. The report provides the following:

• the ELO Council's vision and mission statement;

• the Washington State Quality Standards for Afterschool and Youth Development which the ELO Council adopted for use with state expanded learning programs;

• the initial components for a statewide ELO framework;

• a work plan to further define each component; and

• an action plan and funding model for a pilot program to reduce summer learning loss through the use of state funds for additional student learning days in elementary schools with significant populations of low-income students.

Additional annual reports are required until 2018. The statute creating the ELO Council expires August 31, 2019.

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Summary of Amended Bill:

Six additional members are added to the ELO Council. By August 31, 2015, representatives from the following shall be selected:

• the statewide association of public libraries;

• a statewide nonprofit coalition that is representative of communities of color and low-income communities;

• the Commission on African American Affairs;

• the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs;

• the Commission on Hispanic Affairs; and

• the Tribal Leader Congress on Education.

These changes to membership on the ELO Council expire August 31, 2019, the same date on which the underlying statute pertaining to the ELO Council is set to expire.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:

The amended bill adds four additional members to the ELO Council, in addition to the two members added pursuant to the substitute bill. These four shall be representative of:

• the Commission on African American Affairs;

• the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs;

• the Commission on Hispanic Affairs; and

• the Tribal Leader Congress on Education.

All six new members shall be selected by August 31, 2015.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) The ELO Council was created last year and is doing excellent work. The ELO Council needs more diversity. Particularly since closing the opportunity gap is the goal of the ELO Council, it is important that these communities be represented in the membership. The ELO Council is not currently reflective of diversity. There is a lot of collaboration between school libraries and community libraries. The Washington Library Media Association is ready and willing to help. A lot of learning is going on at the libraries. Seattle Public Library offers tutoring, help with homework, and in the summer offers Team Read to prevent summer reading loss, engage students in accessing book collections and other resources, and increase awareness of library resources. Learning opportunities are offered across the state, including a partnership between Bremerton schools and the Bremerton library at the middle school level that involves learning in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math. The Equity in Education Coalition was one of the main drivers behind closing the opportunity gap and preventing summer learning loss, and wants to be included on the ELO Council. The Equity in Education Coalition shouldn't be the single voice on the ELO Council representing diversity, however, and consideration should be given to including members from the state's ethnic commissions and/or the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Commission. The K-12 population in this state is diverse. There are 47 different ethnic groups within the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs. There are so many different groups trying to close the opportunity gap. It is important to include a variety of voices to represent ethnic and regional diversity. More members should be added to the ELO Council.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Senator Billing, prime sponsor; Carolyn Logue, Washington Library Media Association; Linda Braun, Seattle Public Library; Alex Hur, Equity in Education Coalition; and Sofia Aragon, Governor's Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.