CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2711

Chapter 233, Laws of 2020

66TH LEGISLATURE

2020 REGULAR SESSION

EDUCATION OUTCOMES--FOSTER CARE AND HOMELESSNESS--WORK GROUP

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 11, 2020

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2711

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

ByHouse Education (originally sponsored by Representatives J. Johnson, Corry, Stonier, Ormsby, Appleton, Caldier, Davis, Leavitt, Lekanoff, Ramel, Senn, Chopp, Goodman, Fey, Pollet, Callan, and Chambers)

AN ACT Relating to equitable educational outcomes for foster care and homeless children and youth from prekindergarten to postsecondary education; amending RCW 74.13.1051; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 28A.300.8001; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

(2) The legislature acknowledges that, as a result, only forty-six percent of Washington students who experienced foster care during high school, and fifty-five percent of students experiencing homelessness, graduated from high school on time in 2018. By comparison, the statewide four-year graduation rate for the class of 2019 was nearly eighty-one percent. Furthermore, students of color are disproportionately represented in the foster care system and in homeless student populations, and their academic outcomes are significantly lower than their white peers. Additionally, students who do not achieve positive education outcomes experience high rates of unemployment, poverty, adult homelessness, and incarceration.

(3) The legislature, therefore, intends to provide the opportunity for an equitable education for students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or both. In accomplishing this goal, the legislature intends to achieve parity in education outcomes for these students, both in comparison to their general student population peers and throughout the education continuum of prekindergarten to postsecondary education.

(4) In 2018 the legislature directed the department of children, youth, and families and other entities in chapter 299, Laws of 2018, to convene a work group focused on students in foster care and students experiencing homelessness. The legislature resolves to continue this work group to improve education outcomes for these students.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in collaboration with the department of children, youth, and families, the office of homeless youth prevention and protection programs of the department of commerce, and the student achievement council, shall convene a work group to address the needs of students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or both. Nothing in this section prevents the office of the superintendent of public instruction from using an existing work group created under the authority of section 223(1)(bb), chapter 299, Laws of 2018, with modifications to the membership and duties, to meet the requirements of this section. The work group, which shall seek to promote continuity with efforts resulting from section 223(1)(bb), chapter 299, Laws of 2018, must include representatives of nongovernmental agencies and representation from the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee. The work group must also include four legislative members who possess experience in issues of education, the foster care system, and homeless youth, appointed as follows:

(a) The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.

(b) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.

(2) The work group shall develop recommendations to promote the following for students who are in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or both:

(a) The achievement of parity in education outcomes with the general student population; and

(b) The elimination of racial and ethnic disparities for education outcomes in comparison to the general student population.

(3) In developing the recommendations required by subsection (2) of this section, the work group shall:

(a) Review the education outcomes of students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or both, by examining data, disaggregated by race and ethnicity, on:

(i) Kindergarten readiness, early grade reading and math, eighth and ninth grade students on track to graduate, high school completion, postsecondary enrollment, and postsecondary completion; and

(ii) School attendance, school mobility, special education status, and school discipline;

(b) Evaluate the outcomes, needs, and service array for students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or both, and the specific needs of students of color and students with special education needs;

(c) Engage stakeholders, including students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or both, foster parents and relative caregivers, birth parents, caseworkers, school districts and educators, early learning providers, postsecondary institutions, and federally recognized tribes, to provide input on the development of recommendations; and

(d)(i) Submit annual reports to the governor, the appropriate committees of the legislature, and the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee by October 31, 2021, 2022, and 2023 that identify:

(A) Progress the state has made toward achieving education parity for students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or both; and

(B) Recommendations that can be implemented using existing resources, rules, and regulations, and those that would require policy, administrative, and resource allocation changes prior to implementation.

(ii) Reports required by (d) of this subsection may include findings and recommendations regarding the feasibility of developing a case study to examine or implement recommendations of the work group.

(4) The work group, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, must submit a final report to the governor, the appropriate committees of the legislature, and the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee by July 1, 2024. The final report must include the recommendations required by subsection (2) of this section and may include a plan for achieving the recommendations specified in subsection (2) of this section.

(5) To assist the work group in the completion of its duties, the following apply:

(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, department of children, youth, and families, the student achievement council, and the office of homeless youth prevention and protection programs of the department of commerce shall provide updated education data and other necessary data to the education data center established under RCW 43.41.400; and

(b) The education data center shall provide annual reports to the work group regarding education outcomes specified in subsection (3)(a)(i) and (ii) of this section by March 31, 2021, 2022, and 2023. If state funds are not available to produce the reports, the work group may pursue supplemental private funds to fulfill the requirements of this subsection (5)(b).

(6) Nothing in this section permits disclosure of confidential information protected from disclosure under federal or state law, including but not limited to information protected under chapter 13.50 RCW. Confidential information received by the work group retains its confidentiality and may not be further disseminated except as permitted by federal and state law.

(7) For the purposes of this section, "students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or both" includes students who are in foster care or experiencing homelessness, and students who have been homeless or in foster care, or both.

(8) This section expires December 31, 2024.

Sec. 3. RCW 74.13.1051 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 s 405 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) In order to proactively support foster youth to complete high school, enroll and complete postsecondary education, and successfully implement their own plans for their futures, the department, the student achievement council, and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall enter into, or revise existing, memoranda of understanding that:

(a) Facilitate student referral, data and information exchange, agency roles and responsibilities, and cooperation and collaboration among state agencies and nongovernmental entities; and

(b) Effectuate the transfer of responsibilities from the department to the office of the superintendent of public instruction with respect to the programs in RCW 28A.300.592, and from the department to the student achievement council with respect to the program in RCW 28B.77.250 in a smooth, expedient, and coordinated fashion.

(2) The student achievement council and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish a set of indicators relating to the outcomes provided in RCW 28A.300.590 and 28A.300.592 to provide consistent services for youth, facilitate transitions among contractors, and support outcome-driven contracts. The student achievement council and the superintendent of public instruction shall collaborate with nongovernmental contractors and the department to develop a list of the most critical indicators, establishing a common set of indicators to be used in the outcome-driven contracts in RCW 28A.300.590 and 28A.300.592. ((A list of these indicators must be included in the report provided in subsection (3) of this section.

(4) The department, the student achievement council, and the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the nongovernmental entities engaged in public-private partnerships, shall also submit one report by November 1, 2018, to the governor and the appropriate education and human service committees of the legislature regarding the transfer of responsibilities from the department to the office of the superintendent of public instruction with respect to the programs in RCW 28A.300.592, and from the department to the student achievement council with respect to the program in RCW 28B.77.250 and whether these transfers have resulted in better coordinated services for youth.))

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