HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1444

BYRepresentatives Peery, Betrozoff, G. Fisher, Holland, Walker, May, O'Brien, Locke, Winsley, Bowman, Moyer, Valle, Horn, D. Sommers, Ferguson, Wineberry, Rector, Prentice, R. King, Sprenkle, Basich, Dorn, Rust, Todd and H. Myers; by request of  Governor Gardner

Revising programs for students at risk.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (17)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Cole, Dorn, Fuhrman, Holland, Horn, Jones, P. King, Phillips, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Valle, Walker and K. Wilson.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The substitute bill by Committee on Education as amended by Committee on Appropriations be substituted therefor and the substitute bill as amended do pass.  (24)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Brough, Dorn, Ebersole, Ferguson, Hine, McLean, Padden, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:      Janet Peterson (786-7136)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS MARCH 5, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In 1987, the Legislature passed a series of measures to address the problems of at-risk students.

(1)  The remediation program was redefined to become the Learning Assistance Program.  The purpose of the change was to make more flexible the method in which services were provided to identified children and to encourage the use of assistance in the regular classroom rather than pulling students from the classroom for assistance.

(2)  A comprehensive substance abuse awareness program was created to encourage school districts to develop prevention, intervention, and aftercare programs for students who were coordinated with existing community resources.  Schools interested in developing a comprehensive program were asked to apply for grant funds to assist them in this effort.  This program has been funded primarily with federal funds.

(3)  The drop-out prevention and retrieval program was enacted which provided funding to school districts with the highest drop-out rates and required the districts to develop programs to reduce their drop-out rate.  Only the districts with a drop-out rate in the top 25 percent of all districts were eligible for funding.  Funding for the drop-out prevention program expires at the end of this biennium.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  Within the Learning Assistance Program, the Legislature encourages schools and school districts to develop innovative and effective methods of serving children.  The district plan may incorporate plans developed by each eligible school.  The services provided through the Learning Assistance Program are expanded to include:  in-service training for instructional assistants and classroom teachers in multi-cultural differences; provision of tutoring assistance during or after school or on Saturday provided by a student tutor, teacher, or instructional assistant; and in-service training for parents of participating students.

In those districts receiving learning assistance funds in which students' test scores improve, such funds for subsequent years shall be calculated by recognizing one-half of the decrease of the district's eligible students. Additional funds provided by this incentive may be allocated to schools as specified by the district's board of directors.

Funding shall be provided and distributed for the Substance Abuse Awareness Program as appropriated in the budget.  Districts seeking Substance Abuse Awareness Program funding shall have on file an application for state or federal funds.  This will allow one application to serve for both state and federal funding.  The district's implementation plan shall address the issues of prevention, intervention, aftercare, and disciplinary policies as well as coordination of services with public and private agencies in the community.

Districts are encouraged to design alternative high schools, schools-within- schools and subject-matter-related schools, as well as flexible scheduling to meet the diverse needs of students at risk of dropping out.  A student tutor corps may be established to work with students at risk of dropping out.  Student tutors may be high school or college students.  The tutor may receive an hourly stipend.  The program encourages selection of ethnic and minority students as tutors.

Any student who has dropped out of high school for six weeks or longer, has returned from drug and alcohol treatment, is or is about to become a teen parent, or has returned from hospitalization due to a mental health problem, may choose to attend any other high school in the state regardless of residence. Students may attend a nonresident school only if they are accepted by the school.  Schools may not charge nonresident students tuition.  Schools are encouraged to accept students who choose to transfer if they meet these conditions.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall establish procedures to claim basic education allocation funds for students attending classes that are provided outside the calendar school year to the extent such attendance is in lieu of attendance during the regular school year.

The State Board of Education shall review and evaluate strategies to replace Carnegie units with core competencies as a method of evaluating student performance.  Core competencies shall include thinking skills.  In doing this review, the State Board of Education shall consult with the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, institutions of higher education, and other relevant agencies.  The board shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor, Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Legislature by December, 1989.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The Learning Assistance Program returns to the task of serving students with special needs who are deficient in the basic skills of reading, mathematics, and language arts rather than expanding to increase achievement of all students, especially those at risk of dropping out, and to aid in a successful transition from elementary to junior high and junior high to high school.  The program returns to a district- based program, but school districts may incorporate individual building plans in their district plan.

All methods of evaluation are returned to the current approach. The expansion of the possible services to be provided under the Learning Assistance Program is expanded to include in-service training for the parents of children served by this program.

The drug and alcohol abuse awareness program is returned to its current name, the Substance Abuse Awareness Program.  The program is returned to a district- based program rather than a building-based program.  The application on file may be a state or federal form rather than requiring a new application.

The provision repealing the existing drop-out program for districts with the highest drop-out rates is stricken.  The following provisions are added:  (1) encouraging districts to meet the diverse needs of students through alternative schools, subject-matter-related and school-within-school projects; (2) developing a student tutor corps which will pay stipends for students to work with other students; and (3) choices in enrollment for students.  Students returning from drug, alcohol, or mental health treatment, students who have dropped out for six weeks or more, and students who are or are about to be a teen parent may enroll in any district they desire so long as they are accepted by the receiving district. These students cannot be charged tuition and districts are urged to accept these students.

Provisions are retained directing the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish procedures to allow districts to claim basic education allocation funds for students attending classes that are provided outside the calendar school year.  To receive the allocation, the attendance must be in lieu of, not in addition to, attendance during the regular school year.

Provisions are retained directing the State Board of Education to evaluate strategies to replace Carnegie units with a core competencies basis for evaluating student performance.  Critical thinking skills are to be included in the core competencies.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction is added to the list of agencies to be consulted in the review of core competencies.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS:  The provisions on state funding for substance abuse awareness programs are revised so that such funding may be provided to school districts either on a grant basis or on a formula basis.  A three-year pilot program for prevention of learning problems is established, limited to 10 school districts selected by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.  If these districts identify less than 4 percent of their enrollment as "specific learning disabled," they can be reimbursed for the difference between their actual allocation for handicapped students and the 4 percent funding level.  However, pilot districts cannot deny handicapped students access to special education programs.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction must submit a report to the Legislature on the pilot program before December 15, 1992.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 18, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Education)  Ronn Robinson, Governor's Office.

(Appropriations)  Ronn Robinson, Office of Financial Management; Steve Nielsen, Governor's Task Force on Drop-outs; Karen Clark, Tacoma School District and Governor's Task Force on Drop-outs; Dwayne Slate, Washington State School Directors' Association; Walter Ball, Association of Washington School Principals.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Education)  Kris Van Gorkom, Washington Association of School Administrators; Dwayne Slate, Washington State School Directors Association; Walter Ball, Association of Washington School Principals; Judy Hartmann, Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Education)  The purpose of the bill is to encourage more involvement of the teacher and parent who are most familiar with the child and his or her problems, to aid in designing the assistance to help the student.  This emphasis holds true whether we are dealing with children with academic problems, drug and alcohol problems, or students at risk of or who have dropped out of school.  The desire is to prevent students from dropping out by providing early and flexible programs to address their needs.  It also works toward recognizing the professional status of our teachers.  We have also attempted to provide incentives to improve student performance.  Special emphasis is given to assuring that funds reach the schools where the students in need are located.

(Appropriations)  The bill provides more flexibility for schools in assisting students at-risk.  The use of student tutors is a low-cost approach to helping students who are likely to become drop-outs.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Education)  We made changes in the Learning Assistance Program only two years ago.  Is there evidence that this program is not working?  Some of the proposed changes significantly affect the balance of power between teachers, administrators and the school board.  There is also a financial impact of moving toward a school- based plan rather than a district-based plan.  The focus of the program also appears to be less clear.  We do not want to dilute the program.

(Appropriations)  None Presented.