Background:

Cultural Competency Standards. Legislation adopted in 2009 directed the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB), in consultation with the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee (EOGOAC), to identify a list of model standards for cultural competency. "Cultural competency" is defined to mean: knowledge of student cultural histories and contexts, as well as family norms and values in different cultures; knowledge and skills in accessing community resources and community and parent outreach; and skills in adapting instruction to students' experiences and identifying cultural contexts for individual students.

The PESB has incorporated the cultural competency standards into standards for effective teaching and paraeducator standards of practice.

Cultural Competency Trainings. Legislation adopted in 2016 (i.e., Fourth Substitute House Bill 1541, enacted as Chapter 72, Laws of 2016 (4SHB 1541)) required multiple education agencies and committees to develop, or plan for the creation, of cultural competency trainings. The content of each of these trainings must align with the cultural competency standards and include the foundational elements of cultural competence, focusing on multicultural education and principles of English language acquisition, including information regarding best practices to implement the tribal history and culture curriculum.

School Board Directors and Superintendents. First 4SHB 1541, required the development of a plan for the creation and delivery of cultural competency training for school board directors and district superintendents. The legislation was silent on whether this training is required.

Supervisory Personnel. Second, 4SHB 1541, required that the professional development program for principals, administrators, and teachers that supports the implementation of the teacher and principal evaluation system be revised to include elements of cultural competency. Principals and administrators who have evaluation responsibilities must engage in this training.

School Staff. Third, 4SHB 1541 directed the development of a content outline for cultural competence training for school staff, with components appropriate for classified staff, certificated instructional staff, building principals, and district administrators. It was specified that the training be suitable for delivery by individuals from the local community or community-based organizations with appropriate expertise. The legislation encouraged educational service districts (ESDs) and school districts to provide opportunities for all school and district staff to gain knowledge and skills in cultural competence, including in partnership with their local communities.

School Districts Identified for Improvement. Finally, 4SHB 1541, strongly encouraged school districts identified for improvement to provide the cultural competence trainings described above to all staff.

Professional Learning Days. Professional learning means a comprehensive, sustained, job-embedded, and collaborative approach to improving teachers' and principals' effectiveness in raising student achievement. Beginning in the 2021-21 school year, the state must annually fund three professional learning days for certificated instructional staff.

Every other year, beginning in the 2020-21 school year, school districts must use one of the state-funded professional learning days to train school district staff on one or more of the following topics: social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, using the model plan related to recognition and response to emotional or behavioral distress, consideration of adverse childhood experiences, mental health literacy, antibullying strategies, and culturally sustaining practices.

Summary of Bill:

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Competency Trainings.

School Board Directors. The Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA), in consultation with the EOGOAC, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and the PESB must develop a recommended list of available equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI), and cultural competency training for school board directors. The training programs must instruct school board directors on examining district policies with an equity lens and how to use district data to identify disproportionate student outcomes. The EDI training programs must consider various races, ethnicities, religions, disabilities, sexualities, and genders.

Beginning in the 2021-22 school year, the WSSDA must provide ongoing trainings to school board directors using an EDI and cultural competency training program from the recommended list. These trainings must be funded through the WSSDA's membership dues, from nominal fees charged to participants, or both.

School Staff and Superintendents. Subject to state funding, ESDs and school districts are required, rather than encouraged, to use the cultural competence training previously developed for classified staff, certificated instructional staff, building principals, and district administrators. Also, it is specified that training opportunities must be job-embedded and ongoing.

Beginning in 2021-22 school year and subject to state funding, ESDs and school districts must provide job-embedded, ongoing training opportunities for classified staff, certificated instructional staff, certificated administrative staff, and the superintendent using the EDI and cultural competence training materials from the list of trainings identified by the WSSDA for school board directors.

School Districts Identified for Improvement. Provisions strongly encouraging school districts identified for improvement to provide the cultural competence trainings described above to all staff are repealed.

Professional Learning Days. Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, any new state funding for professional learning days for certificated instructional staff must be prioritized by school districts to focus first on providing EDI and cultural competence trainings.