SENATE BILL REPORT

2SSB 5082

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 Passed Senate, March 6, 2019

Title: An act relating to promoting and expanding social emotional learning.

Brief Description: Promoting and expanding social emotional learning.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators McCoy, Hasegawa, Kuderer and Saldaña).

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 1/18/19, 1/25/19 [DPS-WM, DNP].

Ways & Means: 2/07/19, 2/26/19 [DP2S, DNP].

Floor Activity:

Passed Senate: 3/06/19, 30-18.

Brief Summary of Second Substitute Bill

Creates a permanent committee to promote and expand social emotional learning (SEL) with certain duties and members, subject to appropriation.
Requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to adopt SEL standards and align the programs it oversees with the standards and integrate where appropriate.
Directs the Professional Educator Standards Board to incorporate SEL standards along the entire career continuum for teachers.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5082 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

Signed by Senators Wellman, Chair; Wilson, C., Vice Chair; Hunt, McCoy, Mullet, Pedersen and Salomon.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

Signed by Senators Hawkins, Ranking Member; Holy, Padden and Wagoner.

Staff: Ailey Kato (786-7434)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 5082 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Rolfes, Chair; Mullet, Capital Budget Cabinet; Billig, Carlyle, Conway, Darneille, Hasegawa, Hunt, Keiser, Liias, Palumbo, Pedersen, Rivers and Van De Wege.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

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

Staff: Kayla Hammer (786-7305)

Background: Social Emotional Learning Benchmarks and Developmental Indicators. In 2015, a budget proviso directed the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to convene a work group to recommend comprehensive benchmarks for developmentally appropriate interpersonal and decision-making knowledge and skills of SEL for grades K–12.

In 2017, a budget proviso directed OSPI to continue this work group to:

identify and articulate grade-level developmental indicators for each of the SEL benchmarks;
solicit feedback from stakeholders; and
develop a model of best practices or guidance for schools on implementing the benchmarks and indicators.

The work group must submit recommendations by June 30, 2019.

Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee. In 2009, this committee was created to synthesize the findings and recommendations from achievement gap studies and recommend policies and strategies to close the achievement gap.

Professional Educator Standards Board. The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) must adopt a set of articulated teacher knowledge, skill, and performance standards for effective teaching. The standards must be calibrated for each level along the entire career continuum. In developing the standards, PESB must, to the extent possible, incorporate standards for cultural competency along the entire continuum.

Summary of Second Substitute Bill: A committee is created to promote and expand SEL, subject to appropriation. SEL will help students build awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and life. The SEL Committee must:

develop and implement a statewide framework for SEL that is trauma-informed, culturally sustaining, and developmentally appropriate;
review and update the SEL standards and benchmarks and align them with other relevant standards and guidelines;
identify best practices or guidance for schools implementing SEL;
identify and update professional development opportunities;
consider systems for collecting data about SEL and monitoring implementation efforts;
identify strategies to improve coordination between early learning, K–12 education, and higher education; and
engage with stakeholders and seek feedback.

The SEL Committee must consist of members representing a number of entities including the state ethnic commissions, tribes, state agencies, schools, families, and others. The SEL Committee must include a representative from the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee and have a joint meeting with this committee once a year.

Beginning June 1, 2021, the SEL Committee must provide an annual report with accomplishments, state-level data, identification of systemic barriers or policy changes necessary to promote and expand SEL, and recommendations. OSPI must provide staff support for the SEL Committee.

OSPI must adopt the SEL standards and benchmarks and align the programs it oversees with the standards and integrate where appropriate. The SEL Committee must advise this duty.

PESB must, to the extent possible, incorporate the SEL standards along the entire career continuum for teachers.

Appropriation: The bill contains a section or sections to limit implementation to the availability of amounts appropriated for that specific purpose.

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: SEL includes the skills needed to regulate emotions, interact with others, problem solve, and make positive decisions. SEL can raise test scores, decrease student discipline, promote a safe school climate, and increase student well-being. Employers are looking for strong SEL skills. SEL should be integrated into the culture of a school and should not be tested. One of the current work group's recommendations is to make this group permanent to help continue incorporating different cultures, help schools implement SEL, engage stakeholders, and continue to be a leader in the nation on this topic. School nurses should be included on the committee. OSPI should formally adopt the SEL standards so everyone, including teacher preparation programs, can reference the same standards.

CON: While SEL is important, public schools are not the place for this type of learning and may not take into account the different cultures of families. When there are standards, there will be some sort of assessment, which requires judgment by an individual. SEL is difficult to judge. Promoting trauma-informed practices may mean that adults may be looking for trauma where there is none. Families need to be represented and have access to all information about their child.

Persons Testifying (Early Learning & K-12 Education): PRO: Senator John McCoy, Prime Sponsor; Amy Brackenbury, Washington School Counselors and Washington School Nurses; Melanie Smith, Committee for Children; Ron Hertel, OSPI; Lucinda Young, Washington Education Association; Kaaren Heikes, Director of Policy and Partnerships, Washington State Board of Education; Bob Cooper, National Association of Social Workers, Washington Chapter. CON: Sharon Hanek, citizen.

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. PRO: A significant amount of time and money has already been invested in social emotional learning. Students are directly benefitting. There have been improvements in academics and social interactions. By building on work already done, all school districts can benefit. Students deserve the opportunity to thrive and the cost is worth it. Increasingly demanded in the American work place and increases people’s ability to work in diverse teams. The fiscal impact seems high but the breadth of the bill to get broad buy-in. Per the journal on cost-benefit analysis there is an $11 return on investment for every $1 spent on social emotional learning programs by teaching students beneficial skills for their future, reducing substance abuse and reducing juvenile incarceration.

Persons Testifying (Ways & Means): PRO: Lucinda Young, Washington Education Association; Bob Cooper, Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and National Association of Social Workers Washington Chapter; Melanie Smith, Committee for Children.

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