Washington HB 2185: Fulfilling the state's paramount duty for all children through equitable and responsible investments in the state's basic education program and reductions to local effort contributions.

Bill Text

H-2461.1

HOUSE BILL 2185

State of Washington

65th Legislature

2017 Regular Session

By Representatives Lytton, Jinkins, and Macri

Read first time 03/28/17. Referred to Committee on Appropriations.

AN ACT Relating to fulfilling the state's paramount duty for all children through equitable and responsible investments in the state's basic education program and reductions to local effort contributions; amending RCW 28A.150.200, 28A.150.410, 28A.400.205, 28A.400.200, 28A.510.250, 84.52.0531, 84.52.0531, 28A.500.020, 28A.500.020, 28A.150.260, and 28A.150.261; amending 2015 3rd sp.s. c 38 s 3 (uncodified); reenacting and amending RCW 28A.500.030 and 28A.150.260; adding new sections to chapter 28A.150 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.400 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 28A.415 RCW; creating new sections; recodifying RCW 28A.300.600, 28A.300.602, and 28A.300.604; repealing RCW 28A.400.201, 28A.415.020, 28A.415.023, 28A.415.024, and 28A.415.025; providing effective dates; and providing expiration dates.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. INTENT. (1) Under the paramount duty of the state Constitution, the legislature must provide every child in the state with an opportunity to succeed in school. The legislature must also ensure that children's access to the state's program of basic education is uniform and equitable. To meet the state's obligation of making ample provision for the education of all children, state funding allocations must correspond to the cost of providing students with the opportunity to receive the state's basic education program.

(2) In chapter 548, Laws of 2009 (Engrossed Substitute House Bill No. 2261) and chapter 236, Laws of 2010 (Substitute House Bill No. 2776) the state established a plan for enhancing the state's program of basic education by providing full-day kindergarten and K-3 class size reduction, fully funding student transportation and materials, supplies, and operating costs, revising program hour offerings and graduation requirements, and by adding the program for highly capable students to the state's program of basic education. With this act, the legislature intends to realize the remaining element of these reforms—full state funding allocations for salaries needed for school districts to hire and retain qualified staff for the state's education program. Using market data compiled pursuant to Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6195, the legislature is establishing a revised salary allocation methodology. The new salary allocation methodology will ensure that each district receives sufficient state funding to pay teachers and other school staff a market-based, competitive wage. The new methodology will also recognize that the state's duty to fund adequate salaries includes provisions for regular cost-of-living increases and professional development as well as adjustments to reflect regional differences in the cost of hiring staff. In addition, the state's new allocation methodology will provide for regular future rebasing to ensure that state salary allocations continue to align with staffing costs for the state's program.

(3) The legislature also intends to phase in further enhancements to basic education funding formulas by providing additional allocations for career and technical education, skill centers, guidance counselors and parent involvement coordinators, and the highly capable program. To address the opportunity gap, the state will enhance formulas in the learning assistance and transitional bilingual programs. The legislature intends to preserve local ability to enrich the state's program with local voter-approved levies and local effort assistance, subject to a new phased-in levy lid and a plan to work collaboratively with school district leaders to provide accountability and transparency for locally approved funding.

(4) Over the next six years, these investments will provide equity for rural and urban districts, and ensure students' and educators' achievements are based on hard work, not zip code.

(5) The legislature intends to consider recommendations from the standing capital budget committees to address the additional classroom and facility needs necessary to fully support the existing and planned investments in state-funded all-day kindergarten and K-3 class size reductions that have been made in recent years.

(6) The legislature acknowledges that progress towards improving educator recruitment and retention was made in the 2016 legislative session through enacted legislation and increased investment in the beginning educator support and training program. However, the legislature recognizes that additional support is still necessary. The legislature supports full funding of the enacted recruitment and retention policies, developing additional proposals to further support recruitment and retention of educators, and increasing investments in recruitment and retention policies. The legi