HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2496

BYRepresentatives H. Myers, Peery, Brumsickle, Cooper, Betrozoff, Rector, Pruitt, Belcher, Winsley, Wineberry, Ferguson, P. King and Fraser

Establishing an adult mentor program for at-risk children.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  (15)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Dorn, Fuhrman, Holland, Horn, Jones, P. King, Phillips, Pruitt, Schoon, Valle, Walker and K. Wilson.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION JANUARY 22, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The business community has developed mentor programs for at-risk students.  The aim of these programs is to provide one-on-one support to students that will help the students realize their own value and that someone really cares about them.  In Washington, examples of business- student alliances can be seen in programs sponsored by the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and U.S. West.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  The Adult Mentor Grant Program is created.  Funding is made available to school districts which establish an adult mentor program.  An adult mentor program must: 1) provide training for the adult volunteers; 2) provide a half-time staff person whose job is to pair adult mentors and students and follow up on the teams; 3) provide written assurance from the adult mentor to spend one half hour per week or two and a half hours per month with a student; 4) provide for parent consent for their child's participation; and 5) provide a recruitment plan for mentors in business and state government.

Participation in a mentor program shall be considered part of a state employee's regular work assignment.  A state employee may be released up to one and a half hours per week for participation in a mentor program.

Rules shall be developed by the state personnel board and the higher education personnel board to implement the provisions allowing state employees to participate in an adult mentor program.

The grant provisions shall expire on June 31, 1991.

The bill will take effect only if money is appropriated for this program by June 31, 1991.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The appropriation is removed and implementation of this act is made subject to the appropriation of money for this purpose by June 31, 1991.

Grant provisions will expire June 31, 1991.

Provisions are added directing the state personnel board and the higher education personnel board to adopt rules allowing state employees to participate.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 10, 1990.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Holly Myers; Mark Brown, Federation of State Employees; John Kvamme, Tacoma Public Schools; and Steve Nielson, U.S. West.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Business has supported the development of partnerships with the educational community.  This has taken the form of one individual working with a student on a weekly basis to prove that someone cares about the student.  The purpose of this bill is to provide some funding to school districts which wish to develop a mentor program for at-risk students and to allow state employees to participate as mentors.  Tacoma School District, as part of its strategic plan, has the goal of finding mentors for its students.  At a recent meeting the chief executive officers of 32 companies met to discuss this program.  The availability of state employees as a resource for the mentor program would be of great value.  Volunteers are screened to be sure that they are appropriate people to be working with children.  The aim of such a program is to assist our students and past experience with the business community has shown this to be an effective program.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.