SSB 6129 -
By Committee on Education
ADOPTED AND ENGROSSED 3/6/14
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature acknowledges that
paraeducators have become a significant resource to students who need
additional education assistance. The legislature further recognizes
that there is significant variability in paraeducator standards,
training, and opportunity for professional development. A carefully
constructed paraeducator development program would place the highest
qualified paraeducators working with the highest need students. Such
a program when combined with a career ladder could offer paraeducators
real opportunities for upward mobility. Since paraeducators more
closely reflect the cultural diversity of the student population, a
development program and career ladder would be likely to encourage more
paraeducators to become teachers. Training teachers how to work with
a paraeducator in their classrooms could increase paraeducators'
ability to teach students who need additional assistance.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) The superintendent of public instruction
shall convene a work group to examine the use of paraeducators across
school districts, including their roles and types of assignments in the
classroom and the variation in paraeducator deployment in support of
teachers. The work group must include paraeducators, teachers, school
and school district administrators, school directors, and
representatives of their respective associations. The superintendent
of public instruction shall submit the findings of the work group to
the professional educator standards board by August 31, 2014, to inform
the work of the board and the work group established under subsection
(2) of this section.
(2)(a) The professional educator standards board shall
simultaneously convene a work group to design program specific minimum
employment standards for paraeducators, professional development and
education opportunities that support the standards, a paraeducator
career ladder, an articulated pathway for teacher preparation and
certification, and teacher professional development on how to maximize
the use of paraeducators in the classroom.
(b) The work group convened by the professional educator standards
board must include representatives of:
(i) The professional educator standards board; the Green River
Community College center of excellence for careers in education;
educational service districts; community and technical college
paraeducator apprenticeship and certificate programs; colleges of
education; teacher, paraeducator, principal, school director, and
administrator associations; career and technical education; special
education parents and advocacy organizations; community-based
organizations representing immigrant and refugee communities and
communities of color; the educational opportunity gap oversight and
accountability committee; and the office of the superintendent of
public instruction; and
(ii) A maximum of two paraeducators from each program for which
specific minimum employment standards will be designed.
(3) By January 10, 2015, the work group convened by the
professional educator standards board shall submit a report to the
education committees of the legislature that recommends:
(a) Multiple options for assuring minimum employment standards and
professional development opportunities for paraeducators who work in:
(i) English language learner programs, transitional bilingual
instruction programs, and federal limited English proficiency programs;
and
(ii) The learning assistance program and federal disadvantaged
program;
(b) A career ladder that encourages paraeducators to pursue
advanced education and professional development as well as increased
instructional ability and responsibility;
(c) An articulated pathway for teacher preparation that includes:
(i) Paraeducator certificate and apprenticeship programs that offer
course credits that apply to transferrable associate degrees and are
aligned with the standards and competencies for teachers adopted by the
professional educator standards board;
(ii) Associate degree programs that build on and do not duplicate
the courses and competencies of paraeducator certificate programs,
incorporate field experiences, are aligned with the standards and
competencies for teachers adopted by the professional educator
standards board, and are transferrable to bachelor's degree in
education programs and teacher certification programs;
(iii) Bachelor's degree programs that lead to teacher certification
that build on and do not duplicate the courses and competencies of
transferrable associate degrees;
(iv) Incorporation of the standards for cultural competence
developed by the professional educator standards board under RCW
28A.410.270 throughout the courses and curriculum of the pathway,
particularly focusing on multicultural education and principles of
language acquisition; and
(v) A comparison of the current status of pathways for teacher
certification to the elements of the articulated pathway, highlighting
gaps and recommending strategies to address the gaps;
(d) Professional development for certificated employees that
focuses on maximizing the success of paraeducators in the classroom.
(4) The work group convened by the professional educator standards
board must submit a final report of its recommendations to the
education committees of the legislature by January 10, 2016,
concerning:
(a) Multiple options for assuring minimum employment standards and
professional development opportunities for basic education and special
education paraeducators;
(b) Whether there should be alignment of training requirements of
paraeducators providing special education services for students during
the school year with existing training for home care aides who provide
similar services to students when they are not in school, and if so,
how the alignment should be accomplished; and
(c) Appropriate professional development and training to help
paraeducators meet the employment standards.
(5) This section expires June 30, 2016.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 28A.410
RCW to read as follows:
The professional educator standards board and the state board for
community and technical colleges may exercise their respective
authorities regarding program approval to implement the articulated
pathway for teacher preparation and certification recommended pursuant
to section 2, chapter . . ., Laws of 2014 (section 2 of this act) in
approved teacher certification programs and certificate and degree
programs offered by community and technical colleges.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW
to read as follows:
Beginning with the 2016-17 academic year, any community or
technical college that offers an apprenticeship program or certificate
program for paraeducators must provide candidates the opportunity to
earn transferrable course credits within the program. The programs
must also incorporate the standards for cultural competence, including
multicultural education and principles of language acquisition,
developed by the professional educator standards board under RCW
28A.410.270.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2014, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and
void."
Correct the title.