BILL REQ. #:  H-1384.1 

Read first time 02/05/09.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to creating an adequate supply of well-qualified mathematics and science teachers; amending RCW 28A.410.210 and 28B.50.020; adding a new section to chapter 28A.410 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.50 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.310 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.150 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28A.410 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The Washington professional educator standards board shall serve as the lead agency in a coordinated approach with school districts, institutions of higher education, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, local and national nonprofit organizations, and the business community to create an adequate supply of well-qualified mathematics and science teachers for Washington's public schools. In fulfilling this role, the board shall:
     (a) Work with institutions of higher education, including community colleges, to build stronger connections and partnerships with school districts and to craft innovative teacher preparation programs, particularly in rural areas;
     (b) Work with in-state and national organizations to identify barriers and craft solutions to improved recruitment, hiring, preparation, and retention of mathematics and science teachers;
     (c) Expand information to students and counselors, from middle school through college, about teacher preparation options and opportunities;
     (d) Seek private and federal support for innovations and initiatives; and
     (e) Set goals, collect and analyze data, and monitor progress toward achieving the goals.
     (2) Strategies overseen and coordinated by the board to achieve the objectives of this section include but are not limited to the following:
     (a) Building pipelines to mathematics and science teaching, beginning in middle school and through college using the recruiting Washington teachers program under RCW 28A.415.370, the pipeline for paraeducators conditional scholarship program under RCW 28A.660.042, and the Washington teach initiative under section 3 of this act;
     (b) Streamlining teacher preparation and improving the geographic distribution of mathematics and science teachers through the retooling to teach mathematics and science conditional scholarship program under RCW 28A.660.045, alternative route to teacher certification programs under RCW 28A.660.040, community college teacher preparation options under section 4 of this act, and rural recruitment collaboratives under section 6 of this act;
     (c) Shifting and building capacity in public four-year institutions of higher education to prepare mathematics and science teachers through their participation in alternative route programs and the institutional priority initiatives and incentives under section 3 of this act; and
     (d) Attracting individuals to careers in mathematics and science teaching, including through the future teachers conditional scholarship and loan repayment program under chapter 28B.102 RCW and the mathematics and science midcareer incentive under section 7 of this act.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.410.210 and 2008 c 176 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The purpose of the professional educator standards board is to establish policies and requirements for the preparation and certification of educators that provide standards for competency in professional knowledge and practice in the areas of certification; a foundation of skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to help students with diverse needs, abilities, cultural experiences, and learning styles meet or exceed the learning goals outlined in RCW 28A.150.210; knowledge of research-based practice; and professional development throughout a career. The Washington professional educator standards board shall:
     (1) Establish policies and practices for the approval of programs of courses, requirements, and other activities leading to educator certification including teacher, school administrator, and educational staff associate certification, which shall permit a qualified community college to be approved to offer the mathematics and science teacher preparation options under section 4 of this act;
     (2) Establish policies and practices for the approval of the character of work required to be performed as a condition of entrance to and graduation from any educator preparation program including teacher, school administrator, and educational staff associate preparation program as provided in subsection (1) of this section;
     (3) Establish a list of accredited institutions of higher education of this and other states whose graduates may be awarded educator certificates as teacher, school administrator, and educational staff associate and establish criteria and enter into agreements with other states to acquire reciprocal approval of educator preparation programs and certification, including teacher certification from the national board for professional teaching standards;
     (4) Establish policies for approval of nontraditional educator preparation programs;
     (5) Conduct a review of educator program approval standards at least every five years, beginning in 2006, to reflect research findings and assure continued improvement of preparation programs for teachers, administrators, and school specialized personnel;
     (6) Specify the types and kinds of educator certificates to be issued and conditions for certification in accordance with subsection (1) of this section and RCW 28A.410.010;
     (7) Hear and determine educator certification appeals as provided by RCW 28A.410.100;
     (8) Apply for and receive federal or other funds on behalf of the state for purposes related to the duties of the board, including private and federal funds to support initiatives under section 1 of this act;
     (9) Adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW that are necessary for the effective and efficient implementation of this chapter;
     (10) Maintain data concerning educator preparation programs and their quality, educator certification, educator employment trends and needs, and other data deemed relevant by the board;
     (11) Serve as an advisory body to the superintendent of public instruction on issues related to educator recruitment, hiring, mentoring and support, professional growth, retention, educator evaluation including but not limited to peer evaluation, and revocation and suspension of licensure;
     (12) Submit, by October 15th of each even-numbered year, a joint report with the state board of education to the legislative education committees, the governor, and the superintendent of public instruction. The report shall address the progress the boards have made and the obstacles they have encountered, individually and collectively, in the work of achieving the goals set out in RCW 28A.150.210;
     (13) Establish the prospective teacher assessment system for basic skills and subject knowledge that shall be required to obtain residency certification pursuant to RCW 28A.410.220 through 28A.410.240;
     (14) By January 2010, set performance standards and develop, pilot, and implement a uniform and externally administered professional-level certification assessment based on demonstrated teaching skill. In the development of this assessment, consideration shall be given to changes in professional certification program components such as the culminating seminar; ((and))
     (15) Serve as the lead agency in a coordinated approach to create an adequate supply of well-qualified mathematics and science teachers under section 1 of this act; and
     (16) Conduct meetings under the provisions of chapter 42.30 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Each public four-year institution of higher education with a teacher preparation program approved by the professional educator standards board to offer a residency teaching certificate and subject area endorsements in middle level mathematics or science, or secondary mathematics or science, including any of the branch campuses under RCW 28B.45.014, is subject to this section.
     (2) Each institution under this section shall develop and implement a Washington teach initiative for recruitment and development of mathematics and science teachers from within the student population of the institution and among high school students in partnering school districts. Each institution shall submit the proposed plan and strategies for its Washington teach initiative to the professional educator standards board by October 30, 2009, and thereafter shall submit a progress report to the board each October 30th until 2014. The plan must include:
     (a) Evidence of a commitment by the institution to make development of mathematics and science teachers an institutional priority;
     (b) Collaboration between institutional leadership, the college of education, and the mathematics and science departments of the college of arts and sciences;
     (c) Targeted outreach, student advising, and recruitment efforts;
     (d) Streamlined course requirements to enable students to obtain both a mathematics or science major and residency certification within four years of study;
     (e) Opportunities for classroom experiences early in the students' academic careers;
     (f) Increased collaboration and partnership with school districts, including districts outside the immediate geographic vicinity of the institution; and
     (g) Measurable goals and objectives, including the shift in enrollment required under the institutional priority initiative under subsection (4) of this section.
     (3) Each institution under this section shall partner with one or more school districts in providing one or more of the alternative route programs under RCW 28A.660.040 using routes two, three, or four to offer candidates a postbaccalaureate residency teaching certificate in middle level mathematics or science or secondary mathematics or science. Each institution shall seek partner school districts in underserved areas of the state. Each institution and district partner or partners shall submit a partnership proposal under RCW 28A.660.020 to the professional educator standards board no later than January 15, 2010, and if approved, shall commence operation of the program no later than September 1, 2010, unless the professional educator standards board authorizes an extension. A significant factor in review and approval by the board shall be the quality of the institution's partnership with local school districts.
     (4) Effective with the 2010-11 academic year, each institution under this section shall reduce admittance and enrollment of students seeking residency teacher certification with an endorsement in elementary education as part of an institutional priority initiative and shall demonstrably increase enrollment capacity for students seeking residency teacher certification with an endorsement in middle level mathematics or science, or secondary mathematics or science. An institution that can document a reduction in admittance and enrollment of elementary education candidates and an increase in capacity and enrollment of mathematics or science candidates between 2006 and 2010 may be exempted by the board from this subsection (3) but is encouraged to continue to increase capacity in mathematics and science.
     (5) Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose and beginning in the 2010-11 academic year, the higher education coordinating board may award an institution under this section an enrollment incentive allocation to support the initiatives under this section for each enrolled student seeking residency teacher certification with an endorsement in middle level mathematics or science, or secondary mathematics or science.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A community college may submit an application to the professional educator standards board for approval to offer courses that teachers may use to demonstrate required competencies for endorsement in middle level mathematics or science, or secondary mathematics or science.
     (2)(a) The college board shall select up to three community colleges willing to partner with one or more local school districts in providing one or more of the alternative route programs under RCW 28A.660.040 using routes two, three, or four to offer candidates a postbaccalaureate residency teaching certificate in middle level mathematics or science, or secondary mathematics or science. To the maximum extent possible, the colleges selected shall be geographically dispersed to enhance access in underserved areas of the state.
     (b) The college board and the professional educator standards board shall provide technical assistance to the colleges and their school district partners in developing and submitting a partnership proposal under RCW 28A.660.020.
     (3)(a) The college board shall select up to three community colleges to develop and offer a program of study leading to a baccalaureate degree with a residency teaching certificate in middle level mathematics or science, or secondary mathematics or science. To the maximum extent possible, the colleges selected shall be geographically dispersed to enhance access in underserved areas of the state. The college board and the professional educator standards board shall provide technical assistance to the colleges in developing and submitting the program for approval.
     (b) A college selected under this subsection (3) may develop the curriculum for and design and deliver courses leading to a baccalaureate degree. However, programs developed under this subsection (3) are subject to approval by the college board under RCW 28B.50.090, the higher education coordinating board under RCW 28B.76.230, and the professional educator standards board under RCW 28A.410.210 before the college may enroll students in upper division courses or apply courses offered toward required competencies for teacher certification or endorsement. The boards shall coordinate their review and approval processes to expedite approval.

Sec. 5   RCW 28B.50.020 and 2005 c 258 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the dramatically increasing number of students requiring high standards of education either as a part of the continuing higher education program or for occupational education and training, or for adult basic skills and literacy education, by creating a new, independent system of community and technical colleges which will:
     (1) Offer an open door to every citizen, regardless of his or her academic background or experience, at a cost normally within his or her economic means;
     (2) Ensure that each college district shall offer thoroughly comprehensive educational, training and service programs to meet the needs of both the communities and students served by combining high standards of excellence in academic transfer courses; realistic and practical courses in occupational education, both graded and ungraded; community services of an educational, cultural, and recreational nature; and adult education, including basic skills and general, family, and workforce literacy programs and services. However, college districts containing only technical colleges shall maintain programs solely for occupational education, basic skills, and literacy purposes, and, for as long as a need exists, may continue those programs, activities, and services offered by the technical colleges during the twelve-month period preceding September 1, 1991;
     (3) Provide for basic skills and literacy education, and occupational education and technical training at technical colleges in order to prepare students for careers in a competitive workforce;
     (4) Provide or coordinate related and supplemental instruction for apprentices at community and technical colleges;
     (5) Provide administration by state and local boards which will avoid unnecessary duplication of facilities or programs; and which will encourage efficiency in operation and creativity and imagination in education, training and service to meet the needs of the community and students;
     (6) Allow for the growth, improvement, flexibility and modification of the community colleges and their education, training and service programs as future needs occur; and
     (7) Establish firmly that, except on a pilot basis as provided under RCW 28B.50.810 and section 4 of this act, community colleges are, for purposes of academic training, two year institutions, and are an independent, unique, and vital section of our state's higher education system, separate from both the common school system and other institutions of higher learning, and never to be considered for conversion into four-year liberal arts colleges.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 28A.310 RCW to read as follows:
     Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, at least two educational service districts serving large numbers of small and rural school districts shall develop and operate rural recruitment collaboratives to assist districts in recruiting, hiring, and retaining mathematics and science teachers. The collaboratives shall provide data analysis and needs assessment, help districts develop partnerships with teacher preparation programs, provide assistance with seeking private and federal grants and using existing funds in innovative ways, and examine recruitment and hiring practices and suggest ways to reduce competition and barriers.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   A new section is added to chapter 28A.150 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Beginning in the 2009-10 school year, the calculation of years of service for purposes of the statewide salary allocation schedule under RCW 28A.150.410 for teachers who have an endorsement and are in an instructional assignment in middle level mathematics or science, or secondary mathematics or science, may include experience in nonschool positions in an occupation requiring a mathematics, science, or engineering degree as provided in this section. The calculation shall be that one year of service in a nonschool position counts as one year of service for purposes of RCW 28A.150.410, up to a limit of five years of nonschool service, and only if the individual has ten or more years of total experience in nonschool positions requiring a mathematics, science, or engineering degree.
     (2) Nonschool years of service included in calculations under this section shall not be applied to service credit totals for purposes of any retirement benefit under chapter 41.32, 41.35, or 41.40 RCW, or any other state retirement system benefits.
     (3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to implement the mathematics and science midcareer incentive under this section and shall consult with the workforce training and education coordinating board regarding occupations requiring a mathematics, engineering, or science degree.