Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Appropriations Committee

HB 2286

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.

Background:

Teacher Job Sharing.

Full-time certificated school district employees are assumed to work a 1,440 hour school year. Job sharing occurs when two teachers share a single position. The split of the position may vary, but results in two teachers sharing the position's hours, salary, benefits, and responsibilities. Effective December 31, 1995, school and educational service districts must have a policy on the sharing of jobs by district employees.

School Employees' Benefits Board.

In 2017 the Legislature created the nine-member School Employees' Benefits Board (SEBB). Beginning January 1, 2020, all school districts, educational service districts, and charter schools must provide health care and related benefits to employees through the SEBB program, administered by the Health Care Authority (HCA).

Under the SEBB, collective bargaining for school employee health benefits is consolidated to a single agreement negotiated between the Governor (or designee) and representatives of all school employee labor organizations – the results of which are subject to approval by the Legislature. This is a change from the prior bargaining process, where through the end of 2019 each district purchased health benefits separately and bargained locally with its employees regarding the specific benefits package. Under the prior system, employee and employer contributions varied by district and by bargaining units within districts.

State Funding Formulas for School Health Benefits.

Based on prototypical school formulas, the state allocates funding to each school district for employee health benefits and for the cost to districts of covering retiree health care for state-funded kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) staff units. Staff types for which the state allocates benefits funding include: instructional staff, administrative staff, classified staff, district-wide support staff, and central office staff. Formulas for special education, bilingual, and other categorical programs also include health benefits in the calculation. The 2019-2021 Biennial Budget funded an initial SEBB rate of $994 per employee per month.

Health Care Authority collection of health benefit contributions from School Districts.

Based upon the projected revenue from SEBB employers, the estimated cost of contracting for health benefit coverage consistent with the collective bargaining agreement, benefit packages selected by the SEBB, and anticipated enrollment of employees and dependents, the SEBB establishes employee premiums. Revenue from employer and employee premiums represents all the funding needed to pay for the benefit coverage for all employees that enroll. Employer contributions are charged for each eligible employee, and employee eligibility for SEBB begins with employees that work 630 hours per year or more.

Summary of Bill:

Subject to the availability of state funding, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must establish a grant program to support job sharing for certificated instructional staff in school districts. Grant awards must be used by districts to support health benefit costs for state-funded full-time equivalent positions filled by two or more employees in excess of the health insurance benefit allocation provided per certificated staff in the omnibus operating appropriations act. The OSPI must prioritize grant funding for districts that have implemented job sharing in the 2019-2020 school year.

By December 1, 2021, the OSPI must submit a report to the Legislature on the districts receiving awards, award amounts, and the number of positions supported by the award.