Section 28A.300.590. Educational outcomes—Program of education for dependent youth—Responsibilities of department of social and health services, superintendent of public instruction, and nongovernmental entity—Reports.

(1) As used in this section, "outcome" or "outcomes" means measuring the differences in high school graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment between youth served by the education coordination program described in this section and those who would have otherwise been eligible for the program, but were not served by the program.

(2) To the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose, the department of social and health services must contract with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, which in turn must contract with at least one nongovernmental entity to administer a program of education coordination for youth, kindergarten through twelfth grade, who are dependent pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall, in consultation with the department of social and health services, comply with all requirements necessary to maximize federal reimbursement for the program of education coordination for youth. The contract between the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the nongovernmental entity must be outcome driven with a stated goal of reducing educational barriers to youth success. The selected nongovernmental entity or entities must engage in a public-private partnership with the office of the superintendent of public instruction and are responsible for raising a portion of the funds needed for service delivery, administration, and evaluation.

(3) The nongovernmental entity or entities selected by the office of the superintendent of public instruction must have demonstrated success in working with foster care youth and assisting foster care youth in receiving appropriate educational services, including enrollment, accessing school-based services, reducing out-of-school discipline interventions, and attaining high school graduation.

(4) The selected nongovernmental entity or entities must provide services to support individual youth upon a referral by a social worker with the department of social and health services, school staff, or a nongovernmental agency. The selected nongovernmental entity or entities may be colocated in the offices of the department of social and health services to provide timely consultation and in-service training. These entities must have access to all paper and electronic education records and case information pertinent to the educational planning and services of youth referred and are subject to RCW 13.50.010 and 13.50.100.

(5) The selected nongovernmental entity or entities must report outcomes semiannually to the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of social and health services beginning December 1, 2016.

[ 2016 c 71 § 3.]

NOTES:

Intent—2016 c 71: "The Washington state legislature has long acknowledged that youth impacted by the foster care system experience among the worst high school graduation and postsecondary completion outcomes compared to any other population of youth. Over the last decade, legislative leadership has sparked innovation and development of an array of services to improve educational outcomes. The legislature intends to powerfully leverage that past experience to establish a set of comprehensive strategies that are evidence-based, more coordinated, intensive, and intentional in order to proactively support youth to complete high school and successfully implement their own plans for their future.

The goals of this effort are threefold:

(1) To make Washington number one in the nation for foster care graduation rates;

(2) To make Washington number one in the nation for foster care enrollment in postsecondary education; and

(3) To make Washington number one in the nation for foster care postsecondary completion." [ 2016 c 71 § 1.]

2016 c 71 § 3.