AeroSpace Scholars

Sorry for the delay in getting these bill updates posted! I’ve been sick, out of town, and then sick again. This will be a long post, but it will wrap-up all actions that have happened since the last Legislative post.

Source: Washington Votes

Senate Bill 6696 – Establishing an accountability system in K-12 education. Amendment offered by Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, on February 11 to add to the minimum criteria for teacher evaluation that “objective and comparable measures of student growth” must be used to demonstrate effective teaching practices. Amendment offered by Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, on February 11, to require the common statewide models to be adopted for use in 2011-12 in the set of school districts that were selected to participate in their development in 2010-11, and then requires the models to be pilot-tested by all school districts with at least some employees in 2012-13. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on February 11. Amendment offered in the House on February 23, creates a Required Action Review Panel to hear requests for reconsideration if the SBE rejects a school district’s Plan and creates a Joint Select Committee to examine options and models for consequences and significant state action in the case of persistent lack of improvement by a Required Action district. Requires the SBCTC to select up to three community colleges to offer a baccalaureate degree plus teaching certificate in a subject matter shortage area, subject to degree and certificate program approval procedures. The amendment sets baseline values for Basic Education funding, as recommended by a technical working group and the QEC, for the prototypical school funding formula adopted in 2009 legislation, effective September 1, 2011. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on February 23. Amendment offered by Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, on March 5, changes an effective date in the bill from April to July. The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on March 5. Amendment offered by Rep. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, on March 5, establishes a process for a local school board to create Innovation Schools or groups of schools called an Innovation School Zone. Encourages Required Action districts to implement Innovation Schools in their persistently lowest performing schools, as long as the Innovation School Plan meets the requirements of a federal innovation model for receipt of federal school improvement funds. The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on March 5. Amendment offered by Rep. Skip Priest, R-Federal Way, on March 5,  removes provisions that require the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to select up to three community colleges to offer a baccalaureate degree plus teaching certification in a shortage subject area. Directs the Council of Presidents to convene an inter-institutional work group to implement plans prepared by the four-year institutions of higher education in response to a proviso in the 2009-2011 biennial budget regarding increasing the number of mathematics and science teachers. Requires the COP to report to the Education and Higher Education Committees on demonstrated progress toward achieving the outcomes identified in the plans by December 31, 2011. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 5. Amendment offered by Rep. Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, on March 5, that within the prototypical school funding formula, phases in enhanced allocations to reduce K-3 class size to no more than 17.0 students per classroom teacher rather than 15.0 students, over a five-year period. Phases in enhanced allocations for maintenance, supplies, and operating costs over a four-year period (2011-12 to 2014-15) rather than a three-year period. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 5. Passed in the House (76 to 22) on March 5, 2010, provides authority and specifies a process for the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and the State Board of Education to implement an accountability system that recognizes successful schools and requires certain actions by school districts with persistently lowest-achieving schools, according to federal definitions. The bill establishes a new process for transferring principals to a subordinate position, which applies only to principals hired after the bill takes effect and in school districts with more than 35,000 students. It requires public colleges of education that offer residency certification to submit a proposal to offer an alternative route program. The bill also sets forth in statute numeric values for the Basic Education prototypical school funding formula adopted in 2009, to take effect September 1, 2011 and adopts a schedule for phasing in kindergarten through third grade class size reduction, increased funding for maintenance, supplies, and operating costs, and full-day kindergarten.

Senate Bill 6562 – Providing tuition-setting authority at institutions of higher education. Amendment offered by Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R-Maple Valley, on February 15, 2010,  to make the tuition setting authority and waiver system contingent upon fully funding the work study. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on February 15.

Senate Bill 6604 – Limiting and suspending certain education related programs. Amendment offered by Sen. Rosa Franklin, D-Tacoma, on February 10, to reinstate RCW 28A.210.130, requiring the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide information about the immunization program. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on February 10. Amendment offered by Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, on February 10, to remove sections that allowed school districts to choose whether or not to become members of the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) . The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on February 10. Amendment offered in the House on February 23, 2010, retains one section from the engrossed substitute bill: repealing the requirement for school districts to prepare the SLPs. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on February 23. Passed in the House (94 to 3) on March 2. The bill removes requirements that school districts prepare Student Learning Plans for students in grades 5, and 9 through 12, who are not successful on state assessments or not on track to graduate, but retains the requirement for students in 8th grade. It makes most actions by school districts in response to unexcused absences by students optional rather than mandatory, including filing of truancy petitions

House Bill 2621 – Designating certain high school programs to act as models and resources due to excellence. Amendment offered in the Senate on February 25, to add intent language recognizing the Legislature’s initiation of funding for middle school science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs.  (Note: Shuksan Middle School in Bellingham has a STEM focus) Subject to funds appropriated for the purpose, directs OSPI to designate up to three middle schools as “lighthouse” middle schools in addition to the up to three high schools to serve as resources and examples of best practices in STEM. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 25. Passed in the Senate (47 to 0) on March 4. The bill directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to designate up to three high schools to serve as “lighthouses” that offer technical assistance and advice to school districts and communities regarding best practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instruction.

House Bill 2731 – Creating an early learning program for educationally at-risk children. Amendment offered in the Senate on February 25, to remove the early learning program from basic education.  Adds that the Legislature intends to create an entitlement for a program of early learning for educationally at-risk children. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 25. Amendment offered in the Senate on March 1, to remove the direction to prioritize funding starting with four-year-olds. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 1. Amendment offered in the Senate on March 5, to create an entitlement to a program of early learning to protect the current levels of funding for comprehensive preschool programs for three and four-year old children. An early learning program is established to provide preschool opportunities for three and four-year old children by using the program standards and eligibility criteria in the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP). The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 5. Passed in the Senate (29 to 16) on March 5, 2010. The bill creates an entitlement program of early learning to protect the current levels of funding for comprehensive preschool programs for three and four-year old children.

House Bill 2776 – Setting funding distribution formulas for K-12 schools. Amendment offered in the Senate on February 25, to change funding in the prototypical school model for classified education support employees from the basic education level to the current funding level. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 25. Amendment offered in the Senate on March 1, to provide that the working group shall consider the impact on overall school district revenues of the new basic education funding system established by the legislature based on prototypical schools. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 1.

House Bill 2801 – Regarding harassment prevention in schools. Amendment offered in the Senate on February 25, to include the Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) as one of the parties that is consulted in order to provide the Legislature with a revised and updated model harassment, intimidation, and bullying prevention policy and procedure. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 25.

House Bill 2904 – Regarding the powers and duties of the education ombudsman. Amendment offered in the Senate on February 25, to remove the language that allowed the Office of the Education Ombudsman (OEO) to spend any gifts, grants, or endowments from any source according to their terms. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 25.

Senate Bill 6409 – Creating the Washington investment in excellence account. Substitute offered in the Senate on February 24, to name the account the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account and make it subject to legislative appropriation. The following programs are added to those that may be funded from the account:  the early childhood education and assistance program (ECEAP); the State Need Grant; Washington Scholars; and the Washington Award for Vocational Excellence. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 24. Amendment offered in the Senate on March 5, to direct  that all net income from the multi-state lottery games, other than those dedicated to the Problem Gambling Account, be deposited into the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account rather than into the General Fund. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 5. Amendment offered in the Senate on March 5, 2010,  to clarify that implementation of new marketing strategies may begin prior to the required reports to the Legislature on those strategies. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 5. Passed in the Senate (35 to 13) on March 5, creates the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account. Beginning in state fiscal year 2011, all net revenues from in-state lottery games that are not otherwise dedicated to debt service on the Safeco Stadium and Qwest Field and Exhibition Center are dedicated to the new account.

House Bill 1560 – Regarding collective bargaining at higher education institutions. Amendment offered in the Senate on February 26, to make the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act applicable to full-time and part-time University of Washington extension lecturers in English language programs holding annual and quarterly contracts. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 26.

Senate Bill 6355 – Expanding higher education system upon proven demand. Amendment offered in the House on February 23, adds a requirement that, as part of the needs assessment process, the HECB must consider recommendations from the Technology Transformation Task Force and institutions of higher education relative to the strategic and operational use of technology in higher education. It also provides additional direction to the HECB with respect to awarding grants from the Washington Fund for Innovation for improving the use of technology. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on February 23.

Senate Bill 6403 – Regarding the improvement of graduation rates. Amendment offered in the House on February 23, no longer mandates representation from the Juvenile Rehabilitation Division and the Office of Juvenile Justice on the workgroup. It removes the start date for the phase-in of the implementation of recommended technical assistance for the workgroup. The amendment also requires the WSIPP to calculate an annual estimate of the savings resulting from any change compared to the prior school year in the extended graduation rate. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on February 23. Amendment offered in the House on March 3, 2010, requires that the Building Bridges work group’s annual report to the QEC, the Legislature, and the Governor, identify the top six causes of dropouts and performance measures to track and monitor these causes. Requires the work group to include, in its recommendations regarding a state-level and regional infrastructure for the coordination of services, a performance-based quality management system that uses the Baldrige educational criteria for performance excellence. Requires that the recommendations regarding the performance-based management system address accountability in all school districts for the dropout issue. The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on March 3. Passed in the House (96 to 1) on March 3, 2010, expands the Building Bridges workgroup. It tasks state agency work group members to work together on various activities to support school/family/community partnerships engaged in building K-12 dropout prevention, intervention, and reengagement systems. The bill also requires the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to calculate an annual estimate of the savings resulting from annual changes in the extended graduation rate.

Senate Bill 6759 – Requiring a plan for a voluntary program of early learning in basic education. Amendment offered in the House on February 23,  corrects a single reference to the QEC that referred to the “committee” instead of the “council”. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on February 23, 2010, corrects a single reference to the QEC that referred to the “committee” instead of the “council”. Amendment offered by Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, on March 5, that establishes a voluntary program of early learning for 3 and 4 year olds, to begin September 1, 2011, and declares that when fully implemented in the 2017-18 school year, the program shall be an entitlement program for eligible children. Requires that funding for the program in the 2011-2013 biennium be not less than the funding provided for the ECEAP in the 2009-2011 biennium and be sufficient to fund an equivalent number of slots. Directs the program expansion to be in school districts where full-day kindergarten is being provided, in order to maximize gains resulting from those investments. Directs the program to be fully implemented by the 2017-18 school year. Establishes a working group to develop a comprehensive plan for the phase-in of a voluntary, universal preschool program. It also names the act the Ready for School Act of 2010. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 5. Passed in the House (69 to 29) on March 5. The bill creates a technical working group is beginning April 1, 2010, to develop a comprehensive plan for a voluntary program of early learning. The working group is convened by OSPI and DEL, but must be monitored and overseen by the QEC. The working group has a progress report due to ELAC and the QEC July 1, 2010, and a final report and plan due November 1, 2010. The plan must examine the opportunities and barriers of at least two options: a program of early learning under the program of basic education and a program of early learning as an entitlement, either statutorily or constitutionally protected.

Senate Bill 6760 – Setting allocation levels for basic educational instruction. Amendment offered in the House on February 25, increases the funding factors for MSOC are to be over a three-year period; the K-3 class size allocation must be enhanced over a five-year period to 15.0 students per classroom teachers; and full-day kindergarten must continue to be incrementally phased in with full implementation in 2018. Modifications are made to the prototypical school funding formula. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on February 25.

Senate Bill 6359 – Promoting efficiencies in the community and technical college system. Amendment offered in the House on February 25, to clarify that the Legislature intends to encourage the community and technical college system to identify efficiencies rather than having the Legislature provide mechanisms for those efficiencies. Additionally, it requires that the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) first study potential administrative efficiencies rather than moving directly to identifying efficiencies. It also requires the SBCTC, in consultation with the Community and Technical College’s (CTCs) boards of trustees, to use the criteria and processes established in the planning and development process created in the bill when identifying college districts. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on February 25. Passed in the House (96 to 2) on March 4. Passed in the Senate (48 to 0) on March 7. The bill requires that community college districts coordinate with districts in the region to avoid unnecessary duplication of student services and administrative functions.

House Bill 2759 – Adjusting funding related to nonresident students enrolled in online learning. Amendment offered in the Senate on February 19, 2010, to make technical correction to RCW references contained in the bill. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 19. Amendment offered in the Senate on March 1, to eliminate the phase-in of exclusion of revenue attributable to nonresident online students from districts’ levy bases, and implements the exclusion beginning calendar year 201. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 1.

Senate Bill 6357 – Awarding academic recognition for certain life and learning experiences. Received in the House on February 13. Passed in the House (97 to 0) on March 2. The bill tasks the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), in consultation with numerous other persons and entities, with developing policies for awarding academic credit for learning from work and military experience, military and law enforcement training, career college training, internships and externships, and apprenticeships. It also requires the SBCTC to submit these policies, along with recommendations, to the appropriate committees of the Legislature by December 31, 2010.

House Bill 1418 – Establishing a statewide dropout reengagement system. Received in the Senate on February 17. Passed in the Senate (46 to 0) on March 4. The bill directs the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop model contracts and inter-local agreements for school districts to use in contracting with community and technical colleges, community-based organizations, or other entities to deliver dropout re-engagement programs.

Source: kira