REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 4
 

On Monday, the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee held a public hearing and took testimony on seven bills:  SB 6879, SB 6426, SB 6466, SB 6369, SB 6611, SB 6726 and SB 6890.

• SB 6879 would make changes to the Joint Task Force on Basic Education Finance.  When the Task Force was established last session, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy was required to provide three reports to the Task Force.  The Task Force was also charged with reviewing basic education and basic education funding formulas, develop options for a new funding structure and all necessary formulas, and propose a new definition of basic education.  The original legislation, however, provided for no specific reporting date.  SB 6879 would require the Task Force to complete the work assigned by December 1, 2008.

• SB 6426 would enact the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.  The Compact would assist military families when they attempt to enroll students in school.  It would assist in determining students’ eligibility to enroll, and assist in determining proper course and program placement and require schools to accept credits for graduation that students have completed in previous placements.

• SB 6466 would create a task force to study the teaching Spanish and Chinese in public schools.

• SB 6369 would make changes to the Washington Community Learning Center Program established in 2007.  The program was created to provide students with tutoring and educational enrichment when school is not in session.  SB 6369 would require the program to support statewide after-school intermediary organizations in their efforts to provide professional development to support after-school programs throughout the state.

• SB 6611 would require Washington state history and government course requirements used for high school graduation to be enhanced.  Beginning with the 2009-10 school year, school districts would be required to ensure that any course in Washington State history and government offered to fulfill high school requirements, includes teaching on Washington's commerce and place in a global economy; the Washington Constitution and politics; Washington geography; and Washington history and culture.

• SB 6726 would codify language adopted last session which granted the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) authority to establish professional-level certification assessments and performance standards.  The bill also allows the PESB to contract for the certification assessment and permits the collection of fees charged to be paid directly to the contractor.

• SB 6890 would delay a reporting requirement established last year. Legislation adopted in 2007 included annual requirement that school districts electronically submit to OSPI the teacher identifier number for each teacher assigned to teach a class or course and the student identifier number for each student enrolled in a class or course. The legislation required school districts to begin submitting this data no later than the beginning of the 2008-09 school year.  SB 6890 would delay the reporting requirement until the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.

Later this evening several committees have public hearings on education or education-related issues.  Pertinent action that takes place in the House Education Committee, the House Local Government Committee, the House Capital Budget Committee and the House State Government Committee will be discussed in Tuesday’s Update.

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Legislative Reports are prepared by WSSDA's Governmental Relations staff team: Dan Steele (360/252-3010) and Sheila Chard (360/252-3011). If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please contact us.