HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESSB 5227

BYSenate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Saling, Bauer, Patterson, Stratton, Smitherman, Williams, Lee and Hansen)

Establishing a state writing project to train educators.

House Committe on Higher Education

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (13)

      Signed by Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Van Luven, Ranking Republican Member; Doty, Fraser, Heavey, Inslee, Jesernig, Miller, H. Myers, Prince, Rector and Wood.

House Staff:Susan Hosch (786-7120)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION MARCH 27, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The Puget Sound Writing Program at the University of Washington, and a new smaller program at Washington State University and the University of Idaho, are examples of successful collaborative programs between the common schools and institutions of higher education.  The programs are designed to improve writing instruction in the common schools and community colleges by encouraging participating teachers to write, to research, and to share their knowledge in a variety of formal and informal ways.

The Puget Sound Writing Project has three phases:  a Summer Institute, followup meetings for Institute students, and inservice programs. The program is funded by school districts, tuition from enrolled participants, and the University of Washington.  Since its inauguration in 1978, the program has trained 250 teachers in its Summer Institute.  These teachers have, in turn, offered inservice courses to at least 3,000 of their colleagues.  The number of students directly affected by the program is estimated to be at least 7,500.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  A program is created to assist common school and college faculty in their efforts to improve the writing skills of Washington students.  The Washington State Writing Project is established.  The program will be administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The Board will select proposals for funding through a competitive process, giving preference to proposals that are from sites for the National Writing Project.  The Board will also appoint an advisory committee of educators to assist in selecting the proposals to be funded and in establishing criteria and procedures for evaluating the results of selected projects.  The Board may delegate program administration to a state supported institution of higher education.

A biennial report to the Governor, the Legislature and the Superintendent of Public Instruction is required.  The report shall include an evaluation of the project and a recommendation on whether project funding should continue through the next biennium.  The criteria to be used when evaluating each proposal is outlined and the sum of $350,000 for the writing project is appropriated.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE:  Instead of encouraging each public institution of higher education to include the Washington State Writing Project as part of its curricula, the project is established as a competitive grant program.  The elements of the program are outlined, and an appropriation is included.

Appropriation:    $350,000 to the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    None Presented.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.