HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5028

As Passed House:

March 1, 2018

Title: An act relating to requiring teacher preparation programs to integrate Native American curriculum developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction into existing Pacific Northwest history and government requirements.

Brief Description: Requiring teacher preparation programs to integrate Native American curriculum developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction into existing Pacific Northwest history and government requirements.

Sponsors: Senators McCoy, Billig, Carlyle, Hasegawa, Chase, Rolfes, Saldaña, Pedersen and Keiser.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Education: 2/8/18, 2/15/18 [DP];

Appropriations: 2/24/18, 2/26/18 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/1/18, 76-22.

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 15 members: Representatives Santos, Chair; Dolan, Vice Chair; Stonier, Vice Chair; Harris, Ranking Minority Member; Muri, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bergquist, Johnson, Kilduff, Lovick, Ortiz-Self, Senn, Slatter, Steele, Stokesbary and Valdez.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 3 members: Representatives Hargrove, McCaslin and Volz.

Staff: Katie Choate (786-7296) and Megan Wargacki (786-7194).

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 24 members: Representatives Ormsby, Chair; Robinson, Vice Chair; MacEwen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Stokesbary, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bergquist, Caldier, Cody, Fitzgibbon, Graves, Hansen, Harris, Hudgins, Jinkins, Kagi, Lytton, Pettigrew, Pollet, Sawyer, Senn, Springer, Stanford, Sullivan, Tharinger and Wilcox.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Chandler, Ranking Minority Member; Buys, Condotta, Haler, Manweller, Schmick, Taylor, Vick and Volz.

Staff: Lily Sobolik (786-7157).

Background:

Teacher Preparation Programs. The curriculum of teachers' colleges and teachers' courses at institutions of higher education in Washington must include a one-quarter or semester course in either Washington state history and government or Pacific Northwest history and government. No person may graduate from a teachers college or teacher program without completing this course.

Native American Curriculum. In 2011 the Legislature directed the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to create the Office of Native Education (ONE). The ONE was tasked with several duties, including facilitating the development and implementation of curricula and instructional materials regarding native languages, culture and history, and the concept of tribal sovereignty.

The Native American curriculum, titled the Since Time Immemorial (STI) curriculum, was developed by the ONE in partnership with public and private agencies and several of the 29 federally recognized Indian tribes whose reservations are located in Washington. The STI curriculum supports teaching of tribal sovereignty, tribal history, and current tribal issues within the OSPI's recommended units on Washington and United States (U.S.) history in the elementary and middle school levels, and U.S. history and Contemporary World Issues in the high school level. Each unit is aligned to state standards.

In 2015 legislation was enacted to require, rather than encourage, the OSPI and school districts to take certain actions to develop and incorporate curricula about tribes, including requiring districts to use the STI curriculum. The STI curriculum is available online and free of charge from the OSPI.

Summary of Bill:

Teacher preparation programs must integrate the Native American curriculum developed by the OSPI into Washington state history and government or Pacific Northwest history and government programs or courses. Teacher preparation programs may modify the curriculum in order to incorporate elements that have a regionally specific focus.

All teacher preparation programs, not just teachers' colleges and teachers' courses in institutions of higher education, must comply with these requirements.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Education):

(In support) The bill incorporates Washington's history through the STI curriculum into teacher preparation programs. Each teacher should have the Native American and Pacific Northwest information they need when they enter the classroom. The STI curriculum was created by educators and the local tribes, and is valid across all spectrums. Washington has teacher preparation programs that are already successfully using this curriculum and could be a model for other schools. Washington needs students to understand that American history is inclusive.

The STI curriculum for students is a mandatory curriculum in kindergarten through twelfth grade public school classrooms. Collaboration with the tribes is an ongoing effort. The five essential questions about Washington's history engages learners and increases the capacity of the content of the curriculum. The OSPI will provide this curriculum free of charge to all teacher preparation programs.

This history is everyone's history, not just the tribe's history. It creates equitability in the classroom so our students will understand tribal culture, tribal government, government-to-government relationships, and friendships.

(Opposed) None.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Appropriations):

(In support) None.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying (Education): Senator McCoy, prime sponsor; Lucinda Young, Washington Education Association; Cindy Rockholt, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Peggen Frank, Stillaguamish Tribe and Hoh Tribe; and Bob Cooper, Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

Persons Testifying (Appropriations): None.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Education): None.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Appropriations): None.