Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 6, 1997
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Locke signs legislation to boost education standards, funding

OLYMPIA - Gov. Gary Locke today signed a series of measures that will boost efforts to improve public education across the state. One of the measures will advance efforts already underway to raise academic standards, while another bill is aimed at fulfilling the state's obligation to help fund public school construction.


The process of raising academic standards that began with the Education Reform Act of 1993 will take another big step forward as the Commission on Student Learning begins developing tests for science. The commission already has developed tests for reading, writing, communication and math for 4th grade students. They are now developing 7th and 10th grade tests for these subjects.


Under Senate Bill 6072, which Locke signed, the Commission will recommend an accountability system for the 4th grade academic standards and assessments by November, more than a year earlier than previous law required.


"Raising expectations of our children is the single most important step we can take to help them achieve new heights in learning," Locke said. "Putting high science standards in place, along with the tests to find out how well students are achieving the standards, is critical to my pursuit of world-class learning opportunities for our children."


Locke also signed into law a plan (House Bill 2042) to assess reading skills in 2nd grade, instead of 3rd grade, so teachers can intervene early when students have trouble learning to read. The measure also establishes a grant program to train teachers and assist students as they begin to read.


Another measure signed by Locke (Senate Bill 6045) means his Savings Incentive Plan will provide more state funds to build and modernize school buildings across Washington. The state program that matches local funds to build schools has run short of money in recent years due to the gap between timber revenue from state trust lands and school construction needs.


Many school construction projects which have been eligible for state funds have not received state funds when they become eligible.


Locke's Savings Incentive Plan will reward state agencies for reducing costs through efficiency and other improvements to their operations. Locke said the plan will end the old "spend it or lose it" mentality among state administrators. In the past, savings would automatically revert to the state's general fund. But under the new law, agencies will get to keep half of their efficiency savings for training, technology and other customer service improvements. The other half of the savings will benefit public schools, both by funding technology and by supplying school construction funds.


In the 1997-99 budget period, about $12 million is expected to be available for school construction, and $39 million for school technology through the Savings Incentive Plan.


"In the past, the state consistently failed to meet the full extent of its obligation to support local school construction projects," Locke declared. "This and other steps we're taking to provide state matching funds in a timely manner will ensure our children get the schools they need and at the same time will reduce the burden local property taxpayers carry when they have to supply the funds the state has not provided."


In other action, Locke signed a measure (House Bill 2069) authorizing school districts to ask local voters to approve levies equivalent to an additional 4 percent of their current state and federal funding. The additional levy authority is phased in over two years, and permanently restores the same temporary levy authority that was allowed to expire by the previous Legislature. The measure will allow districts statewide to collect $34 million already authorized, resulting in $3.4 million for Seattle schools, $3 million for Spokane, $2.1 million for Tacoma and $1 million for Bellevue schools.


A separate measure (House Bill 2011), if approved by state voters in November, will allow school levies to cover periods of up to four years, instead of the current maximum of two years.


School safety will be improved with two bills also approved by Locke. House Bill 1581 will help schools deal with disruptive students and will open up more options for placing students into alternative programs. House Bill 1841 allows for stricter dress codes and for the expulsion of gang members.

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