HOUSE BILL REPORT

                      HB 1243

                     As Reported By House Committee on:

                                 Education

Title:  An act relating to teacher preparation programs.

Brief Description:  Requiring teaching experience for teacher educators.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Fuhrman, G. Fisher, Wood, Brekke, Neher, Cole, Silver, Jones, Holland, Peery, Fraser, Brumsickle, Bowman, Moyer, May, Dorn, Pruitt, Belcher, Valle, Heavey, McLean, Chandler, Ferguson, Hochstatter, Padden, Brough, Paris, Winsley, Morton, Mielke, Rayburn, Vance, Forner, P. Johnson, Wynne, Betrozoff, Hargrove, Van Luven, D. Sommers, Edmondson, Miller, Bray, Basich, Mitchell and Tate.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Education, March 4, 1991, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1243 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:  Recent studies and strategies for improving the nation's education system have emphasized the need to improve teacher preparation programs.  With this in mind, some suggest that it would be beneficial if professors in teacher education programs be required to spend additional time in K-12 classrooms.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  State college and university educator preparation programs shall annually develop and implement a plan to increase the level of collaboration and interaction between the program's faculty and K-12 schools in the state.  The plan shall require, to the maximum extent feasible, that each member of the faculty annually provide instruction in K-12 classrooms.

The governing board of each college and university shall adopt salary policies that ensure that faculty members who teach in K-12 classrooms are appropriately rewarded.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The original bill required that teacher preparation program faculty spend at least 180 hours every five years teaching in the public schools of the state.  This 180 hour requirement was deleted, and the development and implementation of a plan aimed at the same objective was added.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  There is a need to increase interaction between teacher education programs and school districts.  The state Board of Education has attempted to address the issue, but has not made significant progress.

Testimony Against:  While we support the concept, the bill is too specific and would be difficult to implement.  Also, teaching in a classroom may not be the best use of a professor's time; working with teachers and administrators may be more useful.

Witnesses:  Carol Merz, Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (opposed); John Parker, Council of Presidents (supports concept, opposed as written);  Monica Schmidt, State Board of Education (supports concept); Bob Maier, Washington Education Association (supports concept); and Dwayne Slate, School Directors Association (supports concept).