HOUSE BILL REPORT

                     ESHB 1813

                           As Passed Legislature

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

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

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by 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;

Appropriations, March 9, 1991, DPS(ED)-A;

Passed House, March 19, 1991, 98-0;

Amended by Senate;

House concurred;

Passed Legislature, 95-0.

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).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: The substitute bill by Committee on Education be substituted therefor and the substitute bill as amended by Committee on Appropriations do pass.  Signed by 22 members:  Representatives Appelwick; Bowman; Braddock; Brekke; Dorn; Ebersole; Ferguson; Fuhrman; Hine; Lisk; May; McLean; Mielke; Peery; Pruitt; Rust; H. Sommers; Sprenkle; Valle; Vance; Wang; and Wineberry.

Staff:  Jack Daray (786-7178).

Background:

Centers for the Improvement of Teaching

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.

Paraprofessional Training

The 1989 Legislature instructed the State Board of Education and the State Board for Community College Education to develop a 90 unit educational paraprofessional Associate of Arts degree.  In the process of developing the degree program, these groups concluded that 90 units of credits would not be adequate, and have requested that additional flexibility be provided to allow the program to consist of up to 108 credits.

Summary of 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.

Paraprofessional Training

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

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Appropriation:  Removed.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.  However, the bill is null and void unless funded in the budget.

Testimony For:  (Education): 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.

(Appropriations): None.

Testimony Against:  (Education): None.

(Appropriations): None.

Witnesses:  (Education): 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).

(Appropriations): None.