HB 1682 as the companion to SB 6298.
As amended HB 1682 does the following:
Establishes a competitive grant program to evaluate and award grants to school districts to pilot increased identification of homeless students and the capacity to provide support. Establishes a grant program that links homeless children with stable housing. Modifies data collection and reporting on homeless children by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
As amended by the Senate Ways and Means committee, the bill does the following:
- Removes the reference to the amount of grant awards related to housing.
- Removes the reference to the number of schools that could receive grant awards related to housing.
- Changes “school districts” to “partnerships” for the provision describing the preference that should be given for the grant awards related to housing.
- Removes the null and void clause for the grant awards related to housing and inserts an appropriations clause for the grant awards related to identification and support of homeless students.
- Add subject to appropriations clause to the competitive grants provided by OSPI, and removes the requirement that the grants must be provided for three years.
- Specifies that the Commerce grants to schools shall not exceed $100,000 and the total grants provided to school districts shall not exceed $500,000. Additionally, a limit of fifteen total grants is provided.
- Clarifies the data reporting of school districts shall be made to the Department of Commerce. The department will then report the information to the Legislature.
- Removes the total of $2,000,000 of appropriations to OSPI for fiscal years 2017 and 2018.
The following amendments made by the Senate:
- The Senate striking amendment retains the provision of the underlying bill that creates a competitive grant at the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to increase identification of homeless students and the capacity of districts to provide support.
- The provision creating a grant program linking homeless students and their families to stable housing is modified as follows: (1) adds that the maximum grant per school is $100,000 and maintains the limitation of $500,000 per school district; and (2) the total number of grants is limited to 15 school districts, rather than 15 schools; and grantee school districts are required to report to the Department of Commerce, rather than the Legislature.
- Revisions to homeless student reporting are retained.
- A provision is added that permits school nurses, school counselors, or the homeless student liaison to provide consent for health care for a homeless student under certain listed circumstances.
