HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1765

BYRepresentatives Hine, G. Fisher, Peery, Betrozoff, Holland, Heavey, Valle, Cole, Dellwo, Pruitt, Cantwell, Todd and Spanel

Establishing the professional educator renewal program.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  (17)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Cole, Dorn, Fuhrman, Holland, Jones, Phillips, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Schoon, Valle, Walker and K. Wilson.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (16)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Belcher, Braddock, Dorn, Ebersole, Hine, Inslee, Peery, Rust, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (7)

      Signed by Representatives Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Bowman, Doty, Inslee, McLean and Nealey.

House Staff:      Janet Peterson (786-7143)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FEBRUARY 3, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Since 1985, legislatures throughout the nation have placed emphasis on toughening the standards for entrance to teacher preparation programs and for earning a professional certificate.  Scholarships have been made available to individuals entering the teaching profession or seeking a professional certificate. Little attention has been paid to the needs of career teachers who have earned their professional certificate and have provided a number of years of service to the teaching profession.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  Fees charged for teacher certification shall be increased. Funds generated by the fee increase shall fund the professional education renewal program.  The program shall fund, on a grant basis, sabbatical leave programs in selected school districts.  The superintendent of public instruction shall develop rules for the implementation of the program.

School districts applying for the grants shall submit a written application to the superintendent of public instruction no later than July 1st of any year in which grant funds are available for this purpose.  The application shall identify the teachers who have been selected by the applicant district as candidates, rank the candidates, submit names of no more than two candidates and describe the procedure used for selection of the candidates.

The superintendent of public instruction shall notify the selected certificated instructional staff member and the school district of the sabbatical leave grant awards no later than November 1st of any year in which grant funds are available.  The superintendent of public instruction shall allocate state funds under this section to districts only if a district agrees to provide, during the subsequent school year, funds at least equal to 51 percent of the selected certificated instructional staff members' actual salary for the current school year.  If the district provides this assurance, the state shall provide funds equal to 49 percent of the selected certificated instructional staff members' actual salary for the current school year.  The money shall be distributed to the selected certificated instructional staff members during the subsequent school year.

The money generated by the certification fee increase shall be deposited in the sabbatical leave fund established in the custody of the state treasurer.  The fee charged for certification shall be used for funding the professional educational renewal program in addition to being used for precertification professional preparation, program evaluation and professional in-service training programs authorized by the State Board of Education.  The fee increase shall take effect July 1, 1989.  No funds shall be allotted from the fund prior to July 1, 1990.

The superintendent of public instruction shall deposit an amount equal to the funds generated by the certification fee in the prior year.  Funds shall be solicited from the private sector in addition to any appropriated funds.  If the donations and appropriation does not equal the funds raised by the certification fee, the funds may not be spent in that year.  A determination on availability of funds shall be made on July 1st of each year beginning July 1, 1990.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The amended bill eliminates the amount of the certification fee increase, leaving the amount to the discretion of the State Board of Education.  Provisions are added authorizing the superintendent of public instruction to solicit funds from the private sector for this program.  A provision is added that unless matching funds from a combination of money from private donations and the superintendent of public instruction are available, the money from certification fees cannot be spent.  A determination of availability of funds will be made on July 1st beginning on July 1, 1990.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS (SUBSTITUTE BILL):  Certification fees will be increased by $10, effective July 1, 1990.  The additional fee revenues will be deposited in the sabbatical leave account, which is subject to appropriation by the Legislature.  No moneys may be expended from the sabbatical leave account unless the Legislature matches these at a two-to-one ratio with general fund moneys for sabbatical leave grants.

State support can be provided to cover up to 49 percent of benefits as well as 49 percent of salary costs for teachers on sabbatical leave.

Grants for sabbatical leave will begin in the 1991-92 school year.

The emergency clause is deleted.

Revenue:    The bill has a revenue impact.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

Effective Date:(Education)  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

(Appropriations)  The emergency clause is deleted.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Education)  Representative Lorraine Hine; and Bob Fisher, Washington Education Association.

(Appropriations)  Representative Lorraine Hine.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Education)  No one.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Education)  Over the years we have changed our expectations of teachers.  Not only must they deal with the academic development of our children, they must also deal with the social and emotional needs of children and their families.  At the same time we ask them to apply the latest technology.  Teachers are professionals and deserve to be treated as such.  The opportunity for retraining and rejuvenation is important for our experienced teachers.  We also need to be sure that a teacher that cannot afford to give up a salary to take additional training can participate.

(Appropriations)  This program is needed to provide opportunities for teachers' professional development.  The state provides comparable programs for other faculty and these need to be expanded to include K-12 teachers.  The program will help schools retain experienced teachers.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Education)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.