1443-S2.E AMS NELS S2852.1

E2SHB 1443  - S AMD TO S AMD (S-2830.1/11)346
     By Senator Nelson

NOT ADOPTED 04/12/2011

     On page 35, after line 20 of the amendment, insert the following:

"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 401   The legislature finds that in order for Washington schools to be great places to teach and learn - where all kids and educators succeed - schools must build cultures where all students thrive. The legislature intends to respect teachers, principals, local school districts, and parents first by empowering them to create that culture together, and then by helping them retain the teachers and principals who are crucial to that culture. In particular, these policies support practices with a track record of closing the achievement gap. This is done by:
     (1) Ensuring that teachers who do the best work are the ones who keep their jobs when budgets need to be cut, by basing reduction in force policies on the evaluations the legislature has outlined for measuring teacher performance. Since the loss of teachers through layoffs already impacts student learning, there is an urgent need to conduct layoffs in a way that retains the most effective teachers. Educators deserve to be recognized for their ability to help students learn and children deserve the very best and brightest teachers;
     (2) Increasing the authority of school boards to replace principals if more than two certificated classroom teachers have received the lowest evaluation rating, as described in RCW 28A.405.100, in any school by nonrenewal of their employment contracts, in accordance with the terms of section 402 of this act, the principal and vice principal within thirty days of a reduction in force;
     (3) Providing the office of the superintendent of public instruction the authority to recall school board members if more than two certificated classroom teachers have received the lowest evaluation rating, as described in RCW 28A.405.100, in any school within the school district and their contracts have been nonrenewed; and
     (4) Requiring a home evaluation by the department of social and health services for any child that is receiving unsatisfactory evaluations."

     Renumber the remaining section consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

     On page 36, after line 8 of the amendment, insert the following:
     "(5) Any principal of a school in which more than two teachers are nonrenewed, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, shall be terminated within thirty days of the nonrenewal of the teacher contracts.
     (6) Any vice principal of a school in which more than two certificated classroom teachers' contracts are nonrenewed, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, shall be terminated within thirty days of the reduction in force.
     (7) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may recall any school board member of a district in which two or more certificated classroom teachers in a school are nonrenewed in accordance with subsection (1) of this section."

EFFECT:  Provides a legislative intent section.
     Provides that the principal and vice principal of a school in which more than two teachers have been terminated due to receiving the lowest evaluation rating pursuant to the evaluation criteria will be terminated within thirty days of the teacher terminations.
     Provides that OSPI can recall any school board member of a district in which two or more teachers have been terminated due to receiving the lowest evaluation rating pursuant to the evaluation criteria.

--- END ---