28A.657.005 - Finding.

Finding.

The legislature finds that it is the state's responsibility to create a coherent and effective accountability framework for the continuous improvement for all schools and districts. This system must provide an excellent and equitable education for all students; an aligned federal/state accountability system; and the tools necessary for schools and districts to be accountable. These tools include the necessary accounting and data reporting systems, assessment systems to monitor student achievement, and a system of general support, targeted assistance, and if necessary, intervention.

     The office of the superintendent of public instruction is responsible for developing and implementing the accountability tools to build district capacity and working within federal and state guidelines. The legislature assigned the state board of education responsibility and oversight for creating an accountability framework. This framework provides a unified system of support for challenged schools that aligns with basic education, increases the level of support based upon the magnitude of need, and uses data for decisions. Such a system will identify schools and their districts for recognition as well as for additional state support. For a specific group of challenged schools, defined as persistently lowest-achieving schools, and their districts, it is necessary to provide a required action process that creates a partnership between the state and local district to target funds and assistance to turn around the identified lowest-achieving schools.

     Phase I of this accountability system will recognize schools that have done an exemplary job of raising student achievement and closing the achievement gaps using the state board of education's accountability index. The state board of education shall have ongoing collaboration with the achievement gap oversight and accountability committee regarding the measures used to measure the closing of the achievement gaps and the recognition provided to the school districts for closing the achievement gaps. Phase I will also target the lowest five percent of persistently lowest-achieving schools defined under federal guidelines to provide federal funds and federal intervention models through a voluntary option in 2010, and for those who do not volunteer and have not improved student achievement, a required action process beginning in 2011.

     Phase II of this accountability system will work toward implementing the state board of education's accountability index for identification of schools in need of improvement, including those that are not Title I schools, and the use of state and local intervention models and state funds through a required action process beginning in 2013, in addition to the federal program. Federal approval of the state board of education's accountability index must be obtained or else the federal guidelines for persistently lowest-achieving schools will continue to be used.

     The expectation from implementation of this accountability system is the improvement of student achievement for all students to prepare them for postsecondary education, work, and global citizenship in the twenty-first century.

[2010 c 235 § 101.]

Notes: Finding -- 2010 c 235: See note following RCW 28A.405.245.