Legislature
@List subhead:SENATE
Senate Bill 5328, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5328: Creating a school grading system based on the accountability index. Passed the Senate on March 6 by a vote of 26-23. The bill creates the School Grading Pilot Program for the 2013-14 school year. The state superintendent of schools must conduct the pilot program in five geographically diverse school districts, including urban, rural, large and small districts. The program requires the State Board of Education to use the accountability index to identify schools using the letter grades A through F, unless the school has less than 10 students: A for schools making excellent progress; B for schools making above-average progress; C for schools making satisfactory progress; D for schools making less than satisfactory progress; and F for schools failing to make adequate progress
Voting yes: Sen. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor; Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens
Voting no: Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell; Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds; Sen. Maralyn Chase, D-Shoreline; Sen. Nick Harper, D-Everett; Sen. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe
Senate Bill 5242, Substitute Senate Bill 5242: Adopting new policies for the assignment of teachers. Passed in the Senate on March 6 by a vote of 37-22. The bill requires school districts to adopt a new policy for the assignment of teachers, which provides that teachers may only be assigned to a particular school upon mutual agreement between the teacher and the school principal. If an agreement is not reached, the teacher may be assigned to a temporary position, as a substitute, or as a support person in the district office. Lack of a permanent assignment after eight or more months becomes a probable cause for removal.
Voting yes: Bailey, Pearson, Hobbs
Voting no: McAuliffe, Shin, Chase, Harper
Senate Bill 5587, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5587: Modifying statewide student assessments. Passed the Senate on March 6 by a vote of 29-20. The bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Board of Education to implement the comprehensive English language arts and mathematics assessment developed by the multistate consortium by the 2014-15 school year. The consortium is using a federal grant to develop new language arts and mathematics assessments in grades three through eight and grade 11 that are aligned with the Common Core State Standards and test college and career readiness at the high school level. During the transition, the graduating classes of 2016-17 may meet the current state standards for reading or writing assessments and the mathematics end of course assessments.
Voting yes: McAuliffe, Bailey, Shin, Pearson, Hobbs
Voting no: Chase, Harper
Senate Bill 5237, Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5237: Establishing accountability for student performance in the third grade. Passed the Senate on March 6 by a vote of 35-13. The bill provides that, beginning in the 2015-16 school year, if students score below basic on the third grade assessment in English language arts, the teachers, parent or guardian, and principal must meet to discuss appropriate placement and intervention. The options for placement include retaining the student in the third grade or promoting the student to fourth grade with an intensive summer program provided by the school district that meets the needs of the student in preparing for the fourth grade. If the student participates in a summer program, the student is retested and a second meeting is convened for the teacher, parents and principal.
Voting yes: Bailey, Shin, Pearson, Hobbs
Voting no: McAuliffe, Chase, Harper
@List subhead:HOUSE
House Bill 1723, Second Substitute House Bill 1723: Expanding early learning opportunities. Passed the House on March 6 by a vote of 59-38. This bill creates a legislative task force and technical working group to study options for an accessible, integrated, high quality and community-based early learning program for children and their families. It directs an expansion of the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program in fiscal year 2014. It also directs a 10 percent increase in Working Connections Child Care subsidies, effective Sept. 1, as well as a 5 percent increase for providers achieving level 2 of the Early Achievers program.
Voting yes: Rep. Luis Moscoso, D-Mountlake Terrace; Rep. Derek Stanford, D-Bothell; Rep. Marko Liias, D-Mukilteo; Rep. Mary Helen Roberts, D-Edmonds; Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Lake Forest Park; Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline; Rep. John McCoy, D-Tulalip; Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett; Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish; Rep. Mike Hope, R-Lake Stevens
Voting no: Rep. Dave Hayes, R-Camano Island; Rep. Norma Smith, R-Whidbey Island; Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish; Rep. Elizabeth Scott, R-Monroe
WashingtonVotes.org
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
