The following is a recap of how Bothell legislators from the 1st District recently voted on several bills and resolutions (according to washingtonvotes.org) during the 2012 session.
Senate Bill 5328, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5328: Creating a school grading system based on the accountability index. Passed the Senate on March 6, 2012 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 ten 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.
No: Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe.
Senate Bill 5242, Substitute Senate Bill 5242: Adopting new policies for the assignment of teachers. Passed in the Senate on March 6, 2013 by a vote of 37-22.
The bill requires school districts to adopt a new policy for the assignment of teachers (Certified Instructional Staff), 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 probably cause for removal.
No: McAuliffe.
Senate Bill 5587, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5587: Modifying statewide student assessments. Passed the Senate on March 6, 2013 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.
Yes: McAuliffe.
House Bill 1723, Second Substitute House Bill 1723: Expanding early learning opportunities. Passed the House on March 6, 2013 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 September 1, 2013, as well as a 5 percent increase for providers achieving level 2 of the Early Achievers program.
Yes: Rep. Luis Moscoso, (D – Mountlake Terrace) and Rep. Derek Stanford, (D-Bothell).
Senate Bill 5237, Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5237: Establishing accountability for student performance in the third grade. Passed the Senate on March 6, 2013 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.
No: McAuliffe.
SOURCE: WashingtonVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website to find plain-English explanations of bills and a record of each legislator’s votes. Do you want to know more about your government? Visit www.WashingtonVotes.org today.
