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Below
is a summary of House and Senate bills that passed the Legislature.
We have indicated which bills have been signed by the Governor.
Many of the issues related to our priorities are not reflected in
individual bills, but in the budget requests. TITLE: An act relating to
the use of school district capital projects funds for technology. SUMMARY: Expands
authorized uses of school district capital projects funds to include
application and modernization of technology systems.
TITLE:
Changing student transportation funding. SUMMARY: OFM, in
consultation with OSPI and JLARC, will contract for development of two
options for a pupil funding method and report to the Governor and
legislative committees by December 1, 2008.
TITLE: Requiring a
review and development of basic education funding. SUMMARY: The
bill establishes a joint task force made up of fourteen members:
eight legislators, a chair and three members with significant experience
with K-12 finance issues appointed by the Governor, a representative of
the Governor's office or OFM and the SPI. The original bill had four
legislators, a chair with business experience and seven members, appointed
by the Governor, and the SPI. The
Task Force is to review the current basic education definition and funding
formulas and develop a new definition and funding structure that aligns
with the final report of the Washington Learns steering committee and the
basic education provisions in current law. The
Task Force is provided research support by the WSIPP. In conducting
research and developing options for consideration by the Task Force, WSIPP
consults with stakeholders and experts and may request assistance from
other agencies. The
first report is due September 15, 2007, rather than 60 days after the bill
takes effect. The second report is due in December rather than
September 2007. The final report is due September 15, 2008 rather
than January 1, 2008. References to "outcome--based"
formulas are removed. Regional cost-of-living elements are
considered for the compensation system. SB
5841 – CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE:
Enhancing student learning opportunities SUMMARY: A phase-in effort for voluntary all-day kindergarten is initiated, beginning in the 2007-2008 school year. Resources provided will support all of the students enrolled in kindergarten at the highest poverty schools. Three demonstration projects will implement a comprehensive kindergarten through third grade foundation learning program. SJM
8011 – CURRENT STATUS - PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, FILED WITH SECRETARY OF
STATE TITLE: Petitioning
Congress to raise funding levels of the No Child Left Behind Act. SUMMARY: The substitute
asks the President, Congress, and the Governor of Washington are asked to
work together with state legislatures to raise the authorized funding
levels of the NCLBA and to make improvements to address the issues raised
by states about the Act. Math/Scie HB
1906 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE: An act relating to
improving mathematics and science education. SUMMARY: The revised bill
creates an after school mathematics support
program with community based organizations; creates a mathematics and
science instructional coach program; directs the State Board of Education,
with advice from citizen advisory councils, to recommend revisions to the
Essential Academic Learning requirements (EALRS) and Grade Level
Expectations (GLEs) in mathematics and science; requires OSPI to revise
the EALRs and GLEs and present revised standards to the SBE and the
legislature; establishes timelines for SPI to present recommendations
for three basic mathematics and science curricula for elementary, middle,
and high school grade spans; Creates
two new alternative routes to teacher certification for mathematics and
science teachers; requires a common math placement test and performance
standard to be used by all colleges and universities as a measure of
college readiness; creates a Mathematics, Science, and technology (MST)
director and, within funds appropriated for these purposes, establishes a
number of different MST initiatives and public-private partnerships; and
requires the SPI to develop education technology standards and classroom
based assessments in education technology for voluntary use. SB
5955 – CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE: Regarding educator
preparation, professional development, and compensation. SUMMARY: A public-private
partnership is established to implement the Simple
Majority HJR
4204 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, REFERRED TO SECRETARY
OF STATE TITLE:
Amending the Constitution to provide for a simple majority of voters
voting to authorize a school levy. SUMMARY:
Submits to the voters a proposed amendment to the Constitution so that
excess property tax levies for school districts are authorized by a simple
majority of voters voting in a levy election.
Bill is currently on second reading in Senate Rules. Class
Size Other
HB
1050 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE: An act relating to
allowing certain students with disabilities to participate in graduation
ceremonies. SUMMARY: Allows a
student receiving special education services to participate in high school
commencement exercises if the students has attended four years of high
school, has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that prescribes
continued special education or related services beyond the fourth year of
high school, and has completed the majority of their IEP goals.
HB
1051 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND
SENATE. AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE: An act relating to
high school completion programs. SUMMARY:
The revised bill continues to
allow community or technical colleges to issue a high school diploma or
certificate, subject to rules adopted by OSPI and the State Board of
Education; establishes
a pilot program for two community colleges to make available a
program designed to enable students under 21 who have completed all
graduation requirements except one of the certificates of achievement to
complete their high school education and obtain a high school diploma.
Funding shall be provided to the colleges through basic education dollars;
student learning plans shall also include the high school completion pilot
program; community and technical colleges are allowed to waive tuition and
fees for students in the high school completion program; and, a school
board may adopt a policy to award a certificate of academic completion.
Such a certificate is not the equivalent of a high school diploma. HOUSE
BILL 1573 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED SENATE AND HOUSE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE: An act relating to
dropout prevention, intervention, and retrieval. SUMMARY: Directs OSPI to
manage a grant program, known as "Building Bridges Program" for
local partnerships of schools, families, and communities to address
dropout prevention, intervention and retrieval.
HOUSE
BILL 1670 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND
SENATE, SIGNED BY GOVERNOR TITLE: An act relating to
the role of school counselors in public schools. SUMMARY: Defines a school
counselor as a professional educator with state certification whose
purpose and role is to plan, organize, and deliver a comprehensive school
guidance and counseling program based on national counseling standards.
HOUSE
BILL 1677 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND
SENATE, SIGNED BY GOVERNOR TITLE: An act relating to
outdoor education and recreation. SUMMARY: Establishes the
Outdoor Education and recreation Grant Program under the authority of the
Washington State Parks and recreation Commission.
HB
1980 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE:
An act relating to the financial literacy public-private partnership. SUMMARY:
Extends the financial literacy public-private partnership and adds
activities, including developing Essential Academic Learning Requirements
in personal finance. SB
5269 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE:
Establishing the First Peoples’ Language, Culture, and History
teacher certification program. SUMMARY:
The Washington State First Peoples’ Language/Culture pilot
program is expanded to include history and is established as a program in
statute. The Professional
Educator’s Standards Board will work with tribal governments to
implement the program. SB
5288 – CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE: Requiring
cyber-bullying to be included in school district harassment prevention
policies. SUMMARY: Electronic acts
are added to the current definition of “harassment, intimidation, or
bullying.” Each school district must amend current policy by August 1,
2008 to include these acts conducted via electronic means by a student
while on school grounds during the school day. SB
5297 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE: Regarding
provision of medically and scientifically accurate sexual health education
in schools. SUMMARY: By September 1,
2008 every school that offers sexual health education must assure that it
is medically and scientifically accurate. SB 5382 - CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE
AND SENATE, GOVERNOR SIGNED TITLE:
Authorizing record checks for employees and applicants for
employment at bureau of Indian affairs-funded schools. SUMMARY: SB 5775 – CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE
AND SENATE, GOVERNOR SIGNED TITLE: Changing
special education provisions. SUMMARY: Changes language
and terms in the State’s special education law to better align with the
federal IDEA. SB
5790 – CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE:
Regarding skill centers SUMMARY: Implements
recommendations from the Workforce training and Education Coordinating
Board for skill centers. Creates
a new RCW chapter addressing skill centers.
SB
5828 – CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE: Regarding early
childhood development and learning. SUMMARY: Establishes an
early learning advisory council to advise the Department of Early Learning
on early learning needs and to develop a statewide plan.
The Department is responsible for implementing a Five-Star
Voluntary Rating and Improvement System to improve the quality of early
learning, increase readiness for school, and close the disparity in access
to quality care. The
Department will report to the Legislature prior to implementation SB
5843 – CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE: Regarding
educational data and data systems. SUMMARY: OSPI will
conduct a feasibility study on establishing a statewide longitudinal
student-teacher data system. The
study will look at costs associated with staffing and related impacts on
schools and districts from having to collect the data elements and
consideration of ways to reduce duplicate reporting of data.
Report due to the Legislature by November 1, 2008.
SB
6023 – CURRENT STATUS – PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING ACTION BY
GOVERNOR TITLE:
Regarding alternative assessments SUMMARY: Allows
students in the graduating classes of 2008 through no later than 2012 to
graduate without a Certificate of Academic Achievement as a result of not
passing the math WASL if they meet other graduation requirements, take
additional math courses, and continue taking the appropriate assessment. Authorizes
the State Board of Education to adopt a rule ending this provision before
the class of 2012 if the rule is adopted by September 1st of the freshman
school year of the affected class. Moves
the requirement for students to pass the science WASL to no later than the
class of 2013. Authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt a
rule applying this requirement before the class of 2013 if the rule is
adopted by September 1st of the freshman school year of the affected
class. Allows students to
access alternative assessments after taking the WASL once rather than
twice. Expands use of the SAT/ACT as an alternative to include the
reading and writing content areas. Terminates use of the PSAT as an
alternative for mathematics in August 2008. Authorizes use of
specified Advanced Placement exams as alternatives. Limits the
GPA/Cohort alternative to students with a 3.2 GPA. Directs the State
Board of Education to examine norm-referenced tests and the ACT ASSETT and
COMPASS tests as possible alternatives.
Creates an appeals process in each Educational Service District for
students who have the level of understanding to meet the state learning
standards but have been unable to demonstrate it on the WASL or
alternative assessment. Specifies eligibility criteria to submit and
appeal and directs the SBE to adopt rules and criteria for determining
appeals by August 1, 2007. Declares
legislative intent to make significant improvements in the high school
WASL in math and science, and a belief that end-of-course assessments
would be a superior assessment system. States that end-of-course
assessments in math should cover at least Algebra I and Geometry, and
assessments in science should cover at least Biology but also address
other content areas. Acknowledges that replacing the WASL represents
a significant change that should be carefully evaluated.
Directs the State Board of Education to examine and make
recommendations for changes to the WASL. Requires the primary change
examined to be replacing the high school WASL with end-of-course
assessments in mathematics and science. Specifies topics to be
covered in the examination. Requires the SBE to submit findings,
recommendations, and an expedited timeline for implementation of changes
by January 2008. Legislative intent is that recommended changes are
able to be implemented no later than the 2010-1011 school year in order to
apply to the graduating class of 2013. Specifies that if the SBE
finds this intent cannot be feasibly met, the SBE must recommend a revised
timeline. Exempts certain English Language learners from taking the WASL
unless required by federal law. Adds provisions regarding diagnostic
assessments in elementary, middle, and high school.
Directs the SPI and the Workforce Board to convene an advisory
committee to identify career and technical education curricula to assist
students in preparing for the state assessment system. Requires an
initial report by January 15, 2008. Creates an alternative
assessment option to earn a Certificate of Academic Achievement, by
allowing students who do not meet the state standard on the WASL in
reading, writing, or mathematics to complete at least two additional
semesters of coursework in the relevant content area and retaking the WASL
once after the tenth grade. To check on the
status of any bills in the Legislature, go to www.leg.wa.gov
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