| Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research |
BILL ANALYSIS |
| Education Committee | |
HB 2991
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in
their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a
statement of legislative intent.
Brief Description: Providing salary bonuses for nationally certified school speech-language pathologists and audiologists.
Sponsors: Representatives Fromhold, Roberts, Simpson and Ormsby.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/21/08
Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).
Background:
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is a national, nonprofit
organization that has developed standards for highly accomplished teaching and a voluntary
system to certify teachers who meet those standards. There are also NBPTS certificates for
librarians and school counselors. Applicants must have three years of experience, and the
certification process involves completion of a portfolio, including a video of classroom
instruction, and an online subject matter assessment. It typically takes a year to complete the
process.
The Legislature has provided a salary bonus for staff who attain NBPTS certification since 1999
and placed the bonus in statute in 2007. The bonus is $5,000 in 2007-08 and increases annually
by inflation.
To be a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist in Washington, candidates must hold
a master's degree from a program accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (ASHA) and complete three quarter hours of course work related to working in
schools. The ASHA offers a voluntary national certification for speech-language pathologists
and audiologists called the Certificate of Clinical Competence (Certificate). In addition to the
master's degree, candidates must pass a national examination and complete a mentored clinical
fellowship of approximately nine months of full-time experience. To be licensed by the state
Department of Health, speech-language pathologists and audiologists must have the equivalent
of the Certificate, but state licensure is not required to work in public schools.
There are at least eight states that have provided ASHA-certified school speech-language
pathologists and audiologists with a salary bonus that is the same as or similar to the bonus
provided to NBPTS-certified instructional staff in that state.
Summary of Bill:
School speech-language pathologists or audiologists who have attained a Certificate from the
ASHA are eligible for the salary bonus provided to instructional staff certified by the NBPTS.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.