HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESHB 1570

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill

Specifies that teachers and certain certificated educators pursuing endorsements in the listed subjects may qualify for the Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship Program.
Requires that preference be given to scholarship applicants seeking additional bilingual education or English language learner (ELL) endorsements if they are assigned to schools in need of improvement or with high ELL populations.

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 20 members: Representatives Santos, Chair; Ortiz-Self, Vice Chair; Reykdal, Vice Chair; Magendanz, Ranking Minority Member; Muri, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Stambaugh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bergquist, Caldier, Gregory, Griffey, Hargrove, Hayes, S. Hunt, Kilduff, Lytton, McCaslin, Orwall, Pollet, Springer and Fagan.

Background:

A conditional scholarship is a loan that is forgiven in whole or in part in exchange for service as a certificated teacher at a K-12 public school. The state forgives one year of loan obligation for every two years a recipient teaches in a Washington K-12 public school. When a recipient fails to continue with the required course of study or teaching obligation, the recipient must repay the remaining loan principal with interest.

The Retooling to Teach Mathematics and Sciences Conditional Scholarship Program requires a K-12 teacher, or certificated elementary educator who is not employed in a position requiring an elementary education certificate, to pursue an endorsement in math or science to be eligible for the program. The conditional scholarship amount: is determined by the Washington Student Achievement Council, may not exceed $3,000 per year, and is applied to the cost of tuition, fees, and educational expenses. The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) must give preference to scholarship applicants who are eligible veterans or National Guard members.

On June 10, 2015, the Governor signed Substitute House Bill 1813 into law. This bill changed the name of the Retooling to Teach Mathematics and Sciences Conditional Scholarship Program to the Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship Program. The bill also expanded the qualifying endorsements to any endorsement in a subject or geographic endorsement shortage area, as defined by the PESB.

Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill:

It is specified that K-12 teachers, or certificated elementary educators who are not employed in a position requiring an elementary education certificate, may qualify for the Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship Program if they are pursuing an endorsement in a subject or geographic endorsement shortage area, as defined by the PESB, including but not limited to, mathematics, science, special education, bilingual education, English language learner (ELL), computer science education, or environmental and sustainability education.

In addition to the veterans and National Guard preference, in awarding conditional scholarships to support additional bilingual education or ELL endorsements, the PESB must also give preference to teachers assigned to schools required under state or federal accountability measures to implement a plan for improvement, and to teachers assigned to schools whose enrollment of ELL students has increased an average of more than 5 percent per year over the previous three years.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Adding endorsement opportunities to the conditional scholarship program will help resolve current teacher shortages. The bill provides proper tools, preparation, knowledge, and skills for educators in education shortage areas. There is no reason to keep the conditional scholarship program limited to math and science endorsements; it was important when the law was created in 2007, but districts have other needs now. Student demographics and economic opportunities for students have changed drastically. There are legitimate shortages in the areas of special education, bilingual education, English language learner education, computer science education, and environmental and sustainability education.

Expanding access to these endorsements is the right policy and will encourage more students to enter the teaching profession. Adding computer science and environmental endorsements will help prepare students to participate in the twenty-first century. It is an issue of supply and demand. Teachers need to be rapidly retrained and placed in the field. There are capable teachers who may meet demand though the program. There is no fiscal impact because the Alternative Routes to Teaching Program includes appropriations for the conditional scholarship program.

(Opposed) None.