H-4533              _______________________________________________

                                          SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 1367

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Valle, Long, K. Wilson, Schoon, Ebersole, Betrozoff, Walker, Rayburn, Taylor, Wang, Todd, P. King, L. Smith, Chandler, Fuhrman, Holland, Cole, Wineberry, Winsley, Smitherman, Isaacson and May)

Read first time 2/7/86 and passed to Committee on Rules.

AN ACT Relating to a career ladder; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     (1)  The legislature recognizes the need to keep and attract quality teachers and administrators in our public schools.  A career ladder system is one means of enhancing the attractiveness of teaching while fostering a professional climate which encourages creativity and cooperation among teachers, administrators, and the community they serve.  The creation of such a system requires a complete examination of the scope of the task and cooperative effort of the educational community, citizens, and the state.  There is hereby created the joint select committee on career ladder.          (2) The joint select committee shall consist of sixteen voting members:

         (a) Three members from each caucus of the house of representatives selected by the speaker of the house of representatives, at least one member of each caucus to be a member of the house education committee and at least one member of each caucus to be a member of the house ways and means committee;

          (b) Three members from each caucus of the senate, selected by the president of the senate, at least one member of each caucus to be a member of the senate education committee and at least one member of each caucus to be a member of the senate ways and means committee;

          (c) The chairman of the house education committee and the chairman of the senate education committee; and

          (d) The ranking minority member of the house education committee and the ranking minority member of the senate education committee.

          (3) The joint select committee shall appoint a career ladder work group composed of representatives of the superintendent of public instruction, state board of education, school administration, principals, certificated employee organizations, and members of the community and business organizations.  The work group shall study and make recommendations to the joint select committee on the following issues:

          (a) Report the experiences of other states which have adopted a career ladder system including information on the successful aspects, problems, costs of development and implementation, impact on staff morale and the recommendations of these states on the effectiveness of their programs.  The work group shall report to the joint select committee on these issues no later than January 1, 1987;

          (b) Report and make recommendations on the feasibility of adopting a career ladder in the state of Washington considering these issues:  (i) The commitment of affected groups to the implementation of a career ladder, (ii) the time needed for the development and implementation of a career ladder, (iii) the ability of current revenues to fund the development and implementation of a career ladder, (iv) if current revenues are inadequate to fund development and implementation, identification of other sources of revenue which should be used, (v) the role of beginning teachers' salaries in the career ladder structure, (vi) the relationship of a career ladder system to collective bargaining rights, (vii) the feasibility of using evaluation instruments being developed by the superintendent of public instruction as the basis for a career ladder system, (viii) whether administrators and principals should also be subject to a career ladder system, and (ix) possible criteria for placement and advancement on the career ladder.  If the work group recommends the development and implementation of a career ladder system, the work group shall develop at least three model career ladder systems.  The work group shall report its recommendations to the joint select committee no later than June 30, 1987.

          (4) The joint select committee shall study the issue of career ladder including the recommendations of the work group and other information the committee considers relevant.  The committee shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature on the adoption of a career ladder no later than January 1, 1988.

          (5) The committee shall use legislative staff and facilities, but may hire additional staff with specific technical expertise, if such expertise is necessary to carry out this directive.  All expenses shall be paid jointly by the house of representatives and the senate.

          (6) The joint select committee on career ladder shall cease to exist on April 1, 1988.