HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 5632

As Amended by the House

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Bauer, Gaspard and von Reichbauer; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction)

Establishing the learning assistance program.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment.  (19)

      Signed by Representatives Ebersole, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Appelwick, Betrozoff, Cole, Cooper, Fuhrman, Holm, P. King, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Rust, Schoon, L. Smith, Taylor, Todd, Valle and Walker.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7109)

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment by Committee on Education.  (20)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Ebersole, Fuhrman, Grant, Grimm, Hine, Holland, McLean, McMullen, Nealey, Niemi, Peery, Sayan, L. Smith, H. Sommers and Sprinkle.

House Staff:      Janet Peterson (786-7143)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 16, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Current law provides for school districts which operate approved remedial assistance programs to receive state funding.  School districts are not required to participate.  Only students in grades two through six who are below grade level in reading, mathematics, or language arts are eligible to be served.  The district identifies these students by a placement test of proficiency in these "basic skills."  Class size is limited to five students with instruction provided by a trained person acting under the direct supervision and control of a certificated teacher.  The number of students eligible in a school district is determined by multiplying the percentage of students who score in the lowest quartile of the test, as compared to national norms, by the number of students enrolled in the district in grades two through six. Funding was also provided for programs serving students in grades seven through nine in the 1985-87 operating budget.

SUMMARY:

The bill repeals the current remediation program and replaces it with the Learning Assistance Program, providing a broader range of program options.  Also, the program shall serve students in kindergarten through ninth grade.

Services which may be supported under this program include: (1) consultant teachers;  (2) instructional support staff;  (3) inservice training in teaching students with special needs;  (4) specialized instructional programs; and (5) other program plans developed by the district.

Districts shall develop program plans based on a biennial needs assessment, and shall include input from an advisory committee of parents, parents of children served by the program, teachers, principals, administrators, and school directors.  The district's program shall be approved by the school board and by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and shall be evaluated annually.  Students who are behind grade level in basic skills may be selected to participate.  State funding shall be allocated according to district test scores in the lowest quartile in comparison with national norms.  Learning disabled students who are generating state funds for special education allocations shall be deducted in distributing learning assistance funding.

Fiscal Note:      Requested March 20, 1987.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Education)  Judy Hartmann, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  Bruce Mrkvicka, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Education)  Jnon Rishan, Citizens for Excellence in Education.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Education)  The learning assistance program is a result of the Special Needs Study conducted last summer by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The program removes some of the artificial boundaries which have prevented the most efficient and effective instruction for qualifying students. The program would be expanded to cover grades kindergarten through twelve.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  The bill allow more flexibility in the use of remediation funding.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Education)  We object to the use of school-based management techniques.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.