SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5668
As of February 9, 2023
Title: An act relating to small districts with less than 2750 students and significant participation in skill centers.
Brief Description: Concerning small districts with less than 2750 students and significant participation in skill centers.
Sponsors: Senators Shewmake, Torres and Dozier.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 2/13/23.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop procedures that provide 1.0 FTE of funding to certain small school districts that send students to skill centers.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION
Staff: Alexandra Fairfortune (786-7416)
Background:

Skill centers are regional secondary schools serving high school students from multiple school districts. They provide instruction in preparatory career and technical education programs that are either too expensive or too specialized for school districts to operate individually.  Each skill center is operated by a host school district and governed by an administrative council in accordance with a cooperative agreement.


Students that attend skill centers must be funded for all classes at the skill center and at the sending school district, up to 1.6 full time equivalents (FTE). The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must develop procedures to ensure that no student is reported for more than 1.6 FTE combining both school district and skill center enrollment, and procedures to determine the appropriate share of FTE enrollment count between the school district and skill center.
Summary of Bill:

OSPI is directed to develop procedures to fund students for 1.0 FTE at the sending school district if the following criteria are met:

  • the total headcount enrollment of the sending school district is fewer than 2750 students;
  • at least 10 percent of the sending school district's combined 11th and 12th grade student headcount is enrolled at the skill center;
  • the student is enrolled for at least 0.5 FTE at the sending school district prior to applying the funding enhancement;
  • the student is enrolled for at least 0.5 FTE at the skill center; and
  • the sending school district is a member of the administrative council governing the skill center.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 7, 2023.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.