SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SHB 1885

             AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 4, 1991

Brief Description:  Creating the teachers recruiting future teachers program.

SPONSORS:House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Roland, Forner, Peery, Orr, G. Fisher, Cole, Scott, Haugen, Vance, Riley, Pruitt, Jacobsen, Nelson, Ebersole, Winsley and Rasmussen).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Bailey, Chairman; Erwin, Vice Chairman; Anderson, Craswell, Metcalf, Murray, Oke, Pelz, Rinehart, A. Smith, and Talmadge. 

Staff:  Susan Mosborg (786‑7439)

Hearing Dates:March 28, 1991; April 4, 1991

BACKGROUND:

There is concern that a shortage of qualified teachers is developing in Washington.  Factors contributing to the shortage include competition for college graduates from business and other professions, an increase in the number of children coming of school age, and an influx of families from other states and countries.  It has been suggested that special measures are needed to attract persons to the teaching profession.

A Teachers Recruiting Future Teachers Program was begun in the Highline School District in 1987 and has since been adopted in some neighboring school districts.

SUMMARY:

The Teachers Recruiting Future Teachers Program is created in statute to enlarge the pool of qualified high school students who are motivated to become teachers.  Participating teachers will make presentations to high school classes discussing the rewards and challenges of teaching.  Interested students may meet monthly for four months with a participating teacher for follow-up discussions of issues in teaching.

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction will adopt rules to implement the program.

The bill is null and void unless funded in the budget.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENTS:

The Teachers Recruiting Future Teachers program established at OSPI will include the Teachers Recruiting Future Teachers program model and the annual Education Week program on the campus of Central Washington University or on the campuses of other interested state higher education institutions.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall work with the directors of both current programs to implement the state Teachers Recruiting Future Teachers program.

$49,000 is appropriated for the Teachers Recruiting Future Teachers element of the total program.  The null and void clause is deleted.

TESTIMONY FOR:

The Teachers Recruiting Future Teachers (TRFT) program addresses concerns about the quantity and quality of students going into teaching.  The program successfully uses inspiring teachers to talk with high school sophomores and juniors about the positive aspects of a teaching career.  Kids need to hear there are teachers who really love what they do.  The TRFT teacher-presenters discuss both the positive and the negative aspects of the profession so that students have a realistic view.

The program has helped students to understand the profession, seriously consider teaching as a career for the first time, and gain appreciation for and identify with the work great teachers do.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Jacqueline Simonds, Director, Teachers Recruiting Future Teachers; Mike Musselwhite, Jim O'Neill, Katie Henderson, Mike McLeod, teacher-presenters, Teachers Recruiting Future Teachers; Amanda McNaughton, Sopheng Men, Eric Neve, students, Teachers Recruiting Future Teachers