HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1813

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                          Education

Title:  An act relating to K-12 education personnel training and recruitment.

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to teacher training and recruitment.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Peery, Betrozoff, Phillips, Jacobsen, Ebersole, Orr, Rasmussen, Ogden, Franklin, Cooper, Hine, H. Myers and O'Brien; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Board of Education.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Education, February 28, 1991, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1813 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 19 members:  Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Brough, Ranking Minority Member; Vance, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Betrozoff; Broback; Brumsickle; Cole; Dorn; Holland; P. Johnson; Jones; Neher; Orr; Phillips; Rasmussen; Roland; H. Sommers; and Valle.

Staff:  Robert Butts (786-7111).

Background:  Many people recognize the importance of attracting quality individuals into the teaching profession, and of assisting student teachers and beginning teachers as they start their careers.

Over the last several years, the Legislature has passed several bills dealing with teacher recruitment and preparation, including minority teacher recruitment, the creation of a paraprofessional degree program, and the use of cooperating teachers with student teachers.  It is felt by some that these programs need to be better coordinated.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

Centers for the Improvement of Teaching

Each Educational Service District (ESD) shall establish a Center for the Improvement of Teaching.  The center shall coordinate programs related to the recruitment and training of K-12 education personnel.  To assist in these activities, each ESD shall establish an Improvement of Teaching Coordinating Council.

Minority Teacher Recruitment Program

An aspect of the Washington State Minority Teacher Recruitment program is implemented by providing for tuition assistance to classified school district classroom assistants who are members of groups traditionally underrepresented in the teaching profession in Washington.  Money appropriated for this program shall be awarded according to rules established by the State Board of Education.

Paraprofessional Training

The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) may grant funds to ESDs or school districts, or both, to develop a 25 hour training program for classroom assistants.  Application requirements are provided.

A requirement that the community college paraprofessional degree be 90 units is removed.

Student Teaching Centers

The State Board of Education, from appropriated funds, shall establish a network of Student Teaching Centers to support the continuing development of the field-based component of teacher preparation programs.  At least one center shall be established in every educational service district region.  The training centers shall expand opportunities for student teacher placements in school districts state-wide, with an emphasis on those populations and locations that are unserved or underserved.  The centers shall provide cooperating teachers for all student teachers; enhance the student teaching component of teacher preparation programs, including a placement of student teachers in special education and multi-ethnic school settings; and expand opportunities for collaboration in teacher education between colleges and universities and school districts.

Conditions for funding the Student Teaching Centers are specified.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  A proposed special needs tuition assistance program was removed, and a section was added that removes the 90 unit requirement for the paraprofessional Associate of Arts degree.

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 14, 1991.

Appropriation:  Removed.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill will consolidate many of the current teacher and staff training and recruitment programs at the ESD level, which will result in better service and coordination.  These recruitment programs are extremely important, especially with the growing demand for new teachers.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Marcia Costello, SPI (in favor); Silvia Negrete, Yakima School District (in favor); Selinda Gongora (in favor); Maggie Habecker, Ridgefield High School (in favor); Robert Harder, WSU (in favor); Marie Pickles, North Mason School District (in favor); Jim Miller, ESD 112, Vancouver (in favor); and Dwayne Slate, Washington State School Directors' Association (in favor).