SUMMARY OF ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL (ESSB) 5946 2013 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

1. SUMMARY OFENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL (ESSB) 59462013 LEGISLATIVE SESSION Presented by: Gil Mendoza, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent Jessica Vavrus, Assistant Superintendent Update as of September 12, 2013

2. PART I Learning to Read, Reading to Learn

3. Summary Reading and Early Literacy Systems (Sections 101 – 103) • OSPI is responsible for: • Working with state and regional partners (including ESDs, Department of Early Learning, and higher education) to implement Washington’s Comprehensive Literacy Plan, Birth to Grade 12 • Providing models to support multi-tiered systems of support for struggling (such as Response to Intervention (PBIS), Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS), etc.) • Working in partnership with the ESDs and higher education partners to provide technical assistance and professional development opportunities for school districts

4. Summary Reading and Early Literacy Systems, Cont. • Each ESD will have a K-4 Literacy Coordinator to support regional professional learning and technical assistance as part of the statewide ELA system. • School districts are responsible for providing a comprehensive system of instruction and services in reading and early literacy to kindergarten through fourth grade students that is based on the degree of student need for additional support. These systems must include: • Annual use of screening assessments. • Research-based family involvement and engagement strategies.

5. Progress Reporting (Section 104) • Each school district shall require that report cards for students in K–4 include information regarding student progress on acquiring reading skills and whether students are at grade level in reading. • Schools must explain to parents/guardians which interventions/strategies will be used to support the student and what strategies can be used at home to support • Schools must report to the district, and the district must report to OSPI annually: • The number of students in grades K–4 that are reading below grade level (disaggregated by subgroup); and • The interventions that are being used to improve the reading skills of the students (disaggregated by subgroup) • OSPI submits an annual report of this information to the Legislature and the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee.

6. Progress Reporting, Cont. (Section 105) • Beginning with the 2014-15 school year, for any student scoring “basic” or “below basic” on the statewide third grade assessment schools must: • Schedule a meeting before the end of the year between the parent/guardian, teacher, and principal (or designee) to explain to the parent or guardian which interventions and strategies will be used to help improve the student’s reading skills and appropriate grade placement for the student • For students to be placed in 4th grade, strategies must include an “intensive improvement strategy” provide by the district that includes a summer program or other option agreed upon by the family and school. • “Fully inform” and obtain consent from the parents and/or guardians about all decisions

7. Intervention (Section 106) • Beginning in the 2015–16 school year school districts must implement an intensive reading and literacy improvement strategy from a state menu for any student who scored basic or below basic in the previous year on the third grade statewide English language arts assessment. • If necessary, districts may use an “alternative practice or strategy” approved by OSPI for two school years initially. • The state menu must include: • Best practices and strategies to improve reading and literacy • Strategies for English Language Learners • System improvements that schools and districts can implement to improve reading instruction

8. Intervention, Cont. (Section 106) • Beginning in the 2014–15 school year a meeting must be scheduled for any student who scores below basic on the third grade statewide student assessment in English language arts to discuss appropriate grade placement and intensive remediation strategies. • In order for students to be placed in fourth grade the strategies discussed must include an intensive improvement strategy identified to meet the student’s need to prepare for fourth grade.

9. PART II Requiring the Learning Assistance Program (LAP) to be Evidence-based

10. Summary Compliance • Reducing disruptive behavior in the classroom is added to the statutory purpose of the LAP. • School districts implementing a LAP are required to focus first on addressing the needs of students in grades K–4. • LAP plans are eliminated.

11. Data Reporting • Beginning in the 2014–15 school year districts must annual entrance and exit performance data for each student participating in the LAP in the statewide individual student data system. • By August 1, 2014 and each August thereafter, school districts shall report to OSPI: • The amount of academic growth gained by students participating in LAP. • The number of students who gain at least one year of academic growth. • The specific practices, activities, and programs used by each school building that received LAP funding.

12. Program Design • Beginning in the 2015–16 school year LAP expenditures are to be tied to the strategies in section 106 of this legislation regarding intensive interventions for students who score basic or below basic on the third grade statewide English language arts assessment. • Beginning in the 2016–17 school year school districts must use a practice or strategy that is on a state menu developed in accordance with this legislation.

13. Program Design (continued) • Beginning in the 2016–17 school year school districts may use a practice that is not on the state menu for two years initially, and continued use of such practice is contingent on showing levels of improvement over that time period that are commensurate with the best practices and strategies on the state menu.

14. PART III Student Discipline

15. Summary Discipline Task Force OSPI is charged with convening a discipline task force to develop: • Standard definitions for causes of student disciplinary actions taken at the discretion of the school district. • Data collection standards for disciplinary actions that are discretionary. • Data collection standards for disciplinary actions that result in the exclusion of a student from school.

16. Discipline Task Force (continued) OSPI shall revise the statewide student data system to incorporate the task force’s recommendations and begin collecting data based on the revised standards in the 2015–16 school year.

17. Suspensions and Expulsions Effective September 28, 2013: • An expulsion or suspension of a student may not be for an indefinite period of time. • Emergency expulsions must end or be converted to another form of corrective action within ten school days from the emergency removal from school. • Any corrective action involving a suspension or expulsion from school for more than ten days must have an end date of not more than one calendar year from the time of corrective action.

18. Suspensions and Expulsions (continued) • School districts are encouraged to make efforts to have suspended or expelled students return to an educational setting as soon as possible.

19. Questions and Responses Parts I, II, and III See “ESSB 5946 Q&A” Document

20. PART IV Educator Support Program

21. Summary • The Educator Support Program is established to provide professional development and mentoring support for beginning educators and educators on probation. • Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, OSPI shall allocate funds for the Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST) on a competitive basis to individual school districts or consortia of districts (no funds were appropriated for the purpose in the 2013–15 biennium).

22. PART V Alternative Learning Experiences

23. Summary Changes to the Definition of ALE • Statutory references to ALE “programs” are changed to “courses.” • ALE courses, or coursework in the case of Grade K–8, are defined as a delivery method for the program of basic education which is: • Provided in whole or in part independently from a regular classroom setting or schedule, but, may include some component of direct instruction; • Supervised, monitored, assessed, evaluated, and documented by a certificated teacher employed by the school district or under contract as permitted by applicable rules; and • Provided in accordance with a written student learning plan. • Definitions are provided for online, remote, and site-based ALE courses.

24. Funding for ALE • School districts are permitted to claim state funding for students enrolled in online, remote or site-based ALE courses. • ALE courses offered for high school students must meet district or state graduation requirements and be offered for high school credit. • Beginning in the 2013–14 school year funding per full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrolled in ALE courses shall be based on the annual average allocation per FTE student in Grades 9–12 in general education.

25. Compliance and Accountability • Each school district offering or contracting to offer ALE courses must: • Report annually to OSPI the course types and offerings, and the number of students participating in each; • Document the district of residence for each student enrolled in an ALE course; and • Beginning in the 2013–14 school year and ending in the 2016–17 school year, pay for costs associated with a biennial measure of student outcomes and financial audit of the district’s ALE courses by the State Auditor. • Beginning in the 2013–14 school year districts must designate ALE courses as such when reporting course information to the OSPI.

26. Questions and Responses Parts IV and V What questions are you getting?

27. Other Questions?

28. Thank you. Presented by: Gil Mendoza, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent Special Programs & Federal Accountability Phone: (360) 725-6170 | E-mail: gil.mendoza@k12.wa.us Jessica Vavrus, Assistant Superintendent Teaching and Learning Phone: (360) 725-6417| E-mail: jessica.vavrus@k12.wa.us