SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6421

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Reported by Senate Committee On:

Early Learning & K-12 Education, January 30, 2018

Ways & Means, February 6, 2018

Title: An act relating to updating the environmental and sustainability literacy plan and ensuring its availability in the library of openly licensed courseware.

Brief Description: Updating the environmental and sustainability literacy plan.

Sponsors: Senators Ranker, Saldaña and Rolfes.

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 1/29/18, 1/30/18 [DPS-WM, DNP, w/oRec].

Ways & Means: 2/05/18, 2/06/18 [DP2S, DNP, w/oRec].

Brief Summary of Second Substitute Bill

Requires the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to convene a workgroup to update the Environmental and Sustainability Literacy Plan (ESLP).
Includes demonstration lessons based on the ESLP to be included in the openly licensed courseware library developed by OSPI.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6421 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

Signed by Senators Wellman, Chair; Rolfes, Vice Chair; Billig, Hunt, Mullet, Pedersen and Rivers.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

Signed by Senator Padden.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.

Signed by Senators Zeiger, Ranking Member; Hawkins.

Staff: Benjamin Omdal (786-7442)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6421 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Rolfes, Chair; Frockt, Vice Chair; Billig, Carlyle, Conway, Darneille, Hasegawa, Hunt, Keiser, Mullet, Palumbo, Pedersen, Ranker and Van De Wege.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

Signed by Senators Braun, Ranking Member; Honeyford, Assistant Ranking Member; Bailey, Becker, Brown, Schoesler, Wagoner and Warnick.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.

Signed by Senator Rivers.

Staff: Jeffrey Naas (786-7708)

Background: School Curriculum in Washington State. Public schools in Washington are subject to curriculum requirements set by Washington law. These include instruction in, among other things, science with special reference to the environment.

In 2011, OSPI created the ESLP. OSPI defines the purpose of the ESLP as building on and leveraging environmental and sustainability education programs and initiatives in Washington State, increasing environmental literacy, and positioning Washington State to receive funding to support these initiatives.

In 2013, Washington State adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The NGSS are a set of standards for science education for all grades in Washington public schools, and are aligned to the Washington State Mathematics and English Language Arts Learning Standards.

Openly Licensed Courseware. Openly licensed courseware refers to teaching and learning materials that exist in the public domain or have been released to the public under an open license. These materials may be distributed, used, and modified without permission and free of charge. The provisions of law concerning openly licensed education courseware expires on June 30, 2018.

Summary of Bill (Second Substitute): OSPI Workgroup. OSPI must convene a workgroup to update the ESLP and develop grade-appropriate lessons that connect to adopted state standards. This workgroup must:

include representatives from a variety of sectors;

convene between three and five times;
update the ESLP by August 1, 2019;
recommend next steps to be taken by the Legislature; and
place demonstration lessons in the state's open courseware repository.

EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE (Second Substitute):

Makes the activities of the workgroup subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose.
Removes all of section 2 which allowed the continuation of the Open Educational Resources program to identify and develop a library of openly licensed courseware.
Makes the placement of the workgroup model lessons into the courseware repository contingent upon the passage of Senate Bill 6201.

EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION COMMITTEE (First Substitute):

Eliminates the FTE appropriation requirement for the plan's report.
Changes the description of the required lesson plans.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Original Bill (Early Learning & K-12 Education): The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. PRO: The environmental plan is out-of-date, as the standards have changed much since the plan's creation. Students currently do not have sufficient environmental literacy. Climate literacy should be included in an environmental literacy plan. Educators could use greater support in administering Next Generation Science Standards.

Persons Testifying (Early Learning & K-12 Education): PRO: Senator Kevin Ranker, Prime Sponsor; Ivy Jaguzny; Ellen Ebert, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Craig Engelking, IslandWood; Abby Ruskey, U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Early Learning & K-12 Education): No one.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on First Substitute (Ways & Means): The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. None.

Persons Testifying (Ways & Means): No one.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Ways & Means): No one.