H-3135              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1367

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

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

Prefiled with Chief Clerk 1/9/86.  Read first 1/13/86 and referred to Committee on Education.

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 in our public schools.  The legislature recognizes that a career ladder system is one means of enhancing the attractiveness of teaching while fostering a professional climate that encourages creativity and cooperation among teachers.  The possibility of creating such a system requires a complete examination and cooperative effort of the educational community, citizens, and the state.  Therefore, the legislature hereby creates the joint select committee on career ladders to review and analyze current career ladder systems developed by other states, to recommend whether a career ladder structure should be adopted by this state and if adoption is recommended, and to develop a career ladder structure that the committee feels would be appropriate for this state.

          (2) The joint select committee on career ladders, in consultation with the superintendent of public instruction, state board of education, school administration and employee organizations, and members of the community and business organizations involved with education issues, shall review and make recommendations on the following career ladder issues:

          (a) How effectively have the career ladder systems adopted in other states addressed the problems of teacher recruitment and retention;

          (b) What elements should be included in a career ladder system including but not limited to teacher evaluation training of evaluators, appeal of evaluations, pay scale, criteria for advancement within the career ladder structure, duration of experience and evaluation requirements for advancement, percentage of teachers who are qualified to reach the top of the career ladder, relationship of career ladder to collective bargaining rights, and procedures for decision-making;

          (c) Should a career ladder be adopted by the state of Washington; and

          (d) Development of a career ladder proposal.

          (3) The committee shall consist of fourteen 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; and

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

          (4) 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.

          (5) The committee shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor and the legislature by the commencement of the 1987 regular session of the legislature.  The committee shall cease to exist on April 1, 1987.