H-1335.1

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1609

ByHouse Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Eslick, Jacobsen, Dent, Pollet, Graham, and Leavitt)

AN ACT Relating to school library information and technology programs; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish a grant program to provide funding to educational service districts for employing teacher-librarians assigned to partner with school districts for providing services, resources, and instruction to students and staff in support of student mastery of the state learning requirements.

(2) In awarding grants under this section, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall prioritize applicant educational service districts that, as evidenced by applicable statewide data, have the fewest teacher-librarians, either per student or per school, within their jurisdictional boundaries.

(3) An educational service district that receives a grant under this section remains eligible for receiving a grant in subsequent award cycles.

(4) For the purposes of this section, "teacher-librarian" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.320.240.

(5) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall adopt and revise as necessary rules for the implementation of this section.

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