(1) The quality education council is created to recommend and inform the ongoing implementation by the legislature of an evolving program of basic education and the financing necessary to support such program. The council shall develop strategic recommendations on the program of basic education for the common schools. The council shall take into consideration the capacity report produced under RCW 28A.300.172 and the availability of data and progress of implementing the data systems required under RCW 28A.655.210. Any recommendations for modifications to the program of basic education shall be based on evidence that the programs effectively support student learning. The council shall update the statewide strategic recommendations every four years. The recommendations of the council are intended to:

     (a) Inform future educational policy and funding decisions of the legislature and governor;

     (b) Identify measurable goals and priorities for the educational system in Washington state for a ten-year time period, including the goals of basic education and ongoing strategies for coordinating statewide efforts to eliminate the achievement gap and reduce student dropout rates; and

     (c) Enable the state of Washington to continue to implement an evolving program of basic education.

     (2) The council may request updates and progress reports from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the state board of education, the professional educator standards board, and the department of early learning on the work of the agencies as well as educational working groups established by the legislature.

     (3) The chair of the council shall be selected from the councilmembers. The council shall be composed of the following members:

     (a) Four members of the house of representatives, with two members representing each of the major caucuses and appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

     (b) Four members of the senate, with two members representing each of the major caucuses and appointed by the president of the senate;

     (c) One representative each from the office of the governor, office of the superintendent of public instruction, state board of education, professional educator standards board, and department of early learning; and

     (d) One nonlegislative representative from the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee established under RCW 28A.300.136, to be selected by the members of the committee.

     (4) The council shall meet no more than four days a year.

     (5)(a) The council shall submit an initial report to the governor and the legislature by January 1, 2010, detailing its recommendations, including recommendations for resolving issues or decisions requiring legislative action during the 2010 legislative session, and recommendations for any funding necessary to continue development and implementation of chapter 548, Laws of 2009.

     (b) The initial report shall, at a minimum, include:

     (i) Consideration of how to establish a statewide beginning teacher mentoring and support system;

     (ii) Recommendations for a program of early learning for at-risk children;

     (iii) A recommended schedule for the concurrent phase-in of the changes to the instructional program of basic education and the implementation of the funding formulas and allocations to support the new instructional program of basic education as established under chapter 548, Laws of 2009. The phase-in schedule shall have full implementation completed by September 1, 2018; and

     (iv) A recommended schedule for phased-in implementation of the new distribution formula for allocating state funds to school districts for the transportation of students to and from school, with phase-in beginning no later than September 1, 2013.

     (6) The council shall submit a report to the legislature by January 1, 2012, detailing its recommendations for a comprehensive plan for a voluntary program of early learning. Before submitting the report, the council shall seek input from the early learning advisory council created in RCW 43.215.090.

     (7) The council shall submit a report to the governor and the legislature by December 1, 2010, that includes:

     (a) Recommendations for specific strategies, programs, and funding, including funding allocations through the funding distribution formula in RCW 28A.150.260, that are designed to close the achievement gap and increase the high school graduation rate in Washington public schools. The council shall consult with the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee and the building bridges work group in developing its recommendations; and

     (b) Recommendations for assuring adequate levels of state-funded classified staff to support essential school and district services.

     (8) The council shall be staffed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the office of financial management. Additional staff support shall be provided by the state entities with representatives on the council. Senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research may provide additional staff support.     

     (9) Legislative members of the council shall serve without additional compensation but may be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120 while attending sessions of the council or on official business authorized by the council. Nonlegislative members of the council may be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

[2011 1st sp.s. c 21 § 54. Prior: 2010 c 236 § 15; 2010 c 234 § 4; 2009 c 548 § 114.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 2011 1st sp.s. c 21: See note following RCW 72.23.025.

     Intent -- 2010 c 234: See note following RCW 43.215.090.

     Effective date -- 2010 c 236 § 6: "Section 6 of this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 29, 2010]." [2010 c 236 § 20.]

     Technical working group -- Supplemental funding options -- 2010 c 236; 2009 c 548: "(1) Beginning April 1, 2010, the office of financial management, with assistance and support from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall convene a technical working group to develop options for a new system of supplemental school funding through local school levies and local effort assistance.

     (2) The working group shall consider the impact on overall school district revenues of the new basic education funding system established under chapter 548, Laws of 2009 and shall recommend a phase-in plan that ensures that no school district suffers a decrease in funding from one school year to the next due to implementation of the new system of supplemental funding.

     (3) The working group shall also:

     (a) Examine local school district capacity to address facility needs associated with phasing-in full-day kindergarten across the state and reducing class size in kindergarten through third grade; and

     (b) Provide the quality education council with analysis on the potential use of local funds that may become available for redeployment and redirection as a result of increased state funding allocations for pupil transportation and maintenance, supplies, and operating costs.

     (4) The working group shall be composed of representatives from the department of revenue, the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee, school district and educational service district financial managers, and representatives of the Washington association of school business officers, the Washington education association, the Washington association of school administrators, the association of Washington school principals, the Washington state school directors' association, the public school employees of Washington, and other interested stakeholders with expertise in education finance. The working group may convene advisory subgroups on specific topics as necessary to assure participation and input from a broad array of diverse stakeholders.

     (5) The local funding working group shall be monitored and overseen by the legislature and by the quality education council created in RCW 28A.290.010. The working group shall report to the legislature June 30, 2011." [2010 c 236 § 6; 2009 c 548 § 302.]

     Intent -- 2009 c 548: See RCW 28A.150.1981.

     Finding -- 2009 c 548: See note following RCW 28A.410.270.

     Intent -- Finding -- 2009 c 548: See note following RCW 28A.305.130.