Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Education Committee
SB 5019
Brief Description: Concerning classified staff providing student and staff safety.
Sponsors: Senators Wellman, Braun, Dhingra, Hunt, Keiser, Randall, Salda?a, Trudeau, Valdez and Wilson, C..
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Removes restrictions on the use of allocations for classified staff providing student and staff safety.
Hearing Date: 3/9/23
Staff: Megan Wargacki (786-7194).
Background:

The prototypical school funding model allocates general apportionment funding to school districts based on assumed levels of staff and other resources necessary to support "prototypical" elementary, middle, and high schools.  These prototypical schools are assumed to have the following full-time student enrollments:  400 students for elementary school; 432 students for middle school; and 600 students for high school.
 
Funding provided to school districts through the prototypical school funding model is for allocation purposes only and district have discretion over how the money is spent, subject to some limits.
 
For example, there are limits on the use of allocations for a category of staff called physical social, and emotional support staff.  "Physical, social, and emotional support staff" include classified staff providing student and staff safety, nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors, parent involvement coordinators, and other school district employees and contractors who provide physical, social, and emotional support to students as defined by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
 
Funding, up to the combined minimum allocations, for nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors, classified staff providing student and staff safety, and parent involvement coordinators through the prototypical school funding model may be allocated only to the extent of and proportionate to a school district's demonstrated actual ratios of:  full-time equivalent physical, social, and emotional support staff to full-time equivalent students.

Summary of Bill:

Classified staff providing student and staff safety are no longer included in the calculation of a school district's demonstrated ratio of full-time physical, social, and emotional support staff to full-time equivalent students for purposes of funding allocations.  As a result, restrictions on the use of allocations for classified staff providing student and staff safety are removed.

Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill contains multiple effective dates. Please see the bill.