AN ACT Relating to teacher education; amending RCW 28A.02.201 and 28A.05.010; adding a new section to chapter 28A.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.71 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.04 RCW to read as follows:

The legislature finds that learning is more difficult for many children because they are the victims of child abuse. Educators are often in a position to identify and assist these children in coping with their unfortunate circumstances. Educators should be trained to deal with this responsibility. The legislature, therefore, encourages the state board of education to include in its program standards for professional preparation programs instruction in child abuse issues.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.71 RCW to read as follows:

The superintendent of public instruction, the educational service districts, and local school districts are encouraged to devise programs of in-service training for public school certificated and classified personnel who come into contact with students in grades kindergarten through twelve for the purpose of providing instruction on how to effectively teach children the skills to resist and report attempts to abuse them.

Sec. 3. Section 2, chapter 92, Laws of 1974 ex. sess. as last amended by section 1, chapter 16, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28A.02.201 are each amended to read as follows:

The legislature hereby recognizes that private schools should be subject only to those minimum state controls necessary to insure the health and safety of all the students in the state and to insure a sufficient basic education to meet usual graduation requirements. The state, any agency or official thereof, shall not restrict or dictate any specific educational or other programs for private schools except as hereinafter in this section provided.

Principals of private schools or superintendents of private school districts shall file each year with the state superintendent of public instruction a statement certifying that the minimum requirements hereinafter set forth are being met, noting any deviations. After review of the statement, the state superintendent will notify schools or school districts of those deviations which must be corrected. In case of major deviations, the school or school district may request and the state board of education may grant provisional status for one year in order that the school or school district may take action to meet the requirements. Minimum requirements shall be as follows:

(1) The minimum school year for instructional purposes shall consist of no less than one hundred eighty school days or the equivalent in annual minimum program hour offerings as prescribed in RCW 28A.58.754.

(2) The school day shall be the same as that required in RCW 28A.01.010 and 28A.58.754, each as now or hereafter amended, except that the percentages of total program hour offerings as prescribed in RCW 28A.58.754 for basic skills, work skills, and optional subjects and activities shall not apply to private schools or private sectarian schools.

(3) All classroom teachers shall hold appropriate Washington state certification except as follows:

(a) Teachers for religious courses or courses for which no counterpart exists in public schools shall not be required to obtain a state certificate to teach those courses.

(b) In exceptional cases, people of unusual competence but without certification may teach students so long as a certified person exercises general supervision. Annual written statements shall be submitted to the office of the superintendent of public instruction reporting and explaining such circumstances.

(4) Appropriate measures shall be taken to safeguard all permanent records against loss or damage.

(5) The physical facilities of the school or district shall be adequate to meet the program offered by the school or district: PROVIDED, That each school building shall meet reasonable health and fire safety requirements.

(6) Private school curriculum shall include instruction of the basic skills of occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health with special reference to the prevention of child abuse, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of appreciation of art and music, all in sufficient units for meeting state board of education graduation requirements.

(7) Each school or school district shall be required to maintain up-to-date policy statements related to the administration and operation of the school or school district.

All decisions of policy, philosophy, selection of books, teaching material, curriculum, except as in subsection (6) above provided, school rules and administration, or other matters not specifically referred to in this section, shall be the responsibility of the administration and administrators of the particular private school involved.

Sec. 4. Section 28A.05.010, chapter 223, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. as amended by section 3, chapter 71, Laws of 1969 and RCW 28A.05.010 are each amended to read as follows:

All common schools shall give instruction in reading, penmanship, orthography, written and mental arithmetic, geography, English grammar, physiology and hygiene with special reference to the effects of alcoholic stimulants and narcotics on the human system and the prevention of child abuse, the history of the United States, and such other studies as may be prescribed by rule or regulation of the state board of education. All teachers shall stress the importance of the cultivation of manners, the fundamental principles of honesty, honor, industry and economy, the minimum requisites for good health including the beneficial effect of physical exercise, and the worth of kindness to all living creatures.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If specific funding for the purpose of the amendment to RCW 28A.05.010 by section 4 of this act referencing this act by bill number, is not provided by the legislature by July 1, 1985, the amendments to RCW 28A.02.201 by section 3 of this act and to RCW 28A.05.010 by section 4 of this act shall be null and void.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The legislature recognizes that its intent to require that specific subject matter be taught in the common schools of this state must be accompanied by a commitment to provide the funding to train teachers in every school in that particular curriculum. Therefore, if sections 3 and 4 of this act are not implemented during 1985 as required in section 5 of this act, the legislature directs the superintendent of public instruction to conduct a study of available staff trained in the prevention of child abuse curriculum in all two hundred ninety-nine school districts and one thousand six hundred ninety-eight school buildings in the state and to report back to the legislature prior to the 1986 session as to the means and cost associated with providing adequate training to meet staff needs in this area.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.