SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5413

        AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 26, 1991

Brief Description:  Establishing the local master's degree teacher training program.

SPONSORS:Senators Saling, Bailey, Gaspard, Snyder and Bauer.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5413 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Saling, Chairman; Patterson, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Jesernig, Skratek, and Stratton. 

Staff:  Jean Six (786‑7423)

Hearing Dates:February 20, 1991; February 26, 1991

BACKGROUND:

Educational reform has been the focus of many recent studies.  In an effort to address the issue of reform and the quality of education provided by the common schools, the Legislature has established a requirement that all teachers have a master's degree to obtain continuing certification after August 31, 1991.  Those teachers already certificated will find an incentive to earn a master's degree. 

There will be an impact on the ability of the institutions of higher education to meet the demand for master's degree programs.  State-imposed enrollment lids as well as competing demands on the university and college curriculum make it difficult to provide the space for the number of teachers who need access to master's degree programs.

According to a recent study conducted by the Higher Education Coordinating (HEC) Board, Master's Degrees for Teachers: A Study of Supply and Demand, thousands of teachers throughout the state face cost and access problems as they try to comply with the master's degree requirement.  Many teachers are located in remote communities far from higher education facilities.  Teachers in the HEC Board study indicated an interest in programs that would be available near where they live and work, and at times that are compatible with their schedules.

SUMMARY:

The Higher Education Coordinating Board is authorized to establish a pilot program for the development of local master's degree teacher training programs.  The purpose of the pilot program is to: (1) test the feasibility of offering master's degrees in the local school districts; (2) build a research base necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of such programs; and (3) develop collaborative relationships between four-year institutions and local school districts on innovative models for teacher education.

The pilot program shall provide for up to five grants to be awarded by the HEC Board to local districts.  A minimum of two grants shall be awarded for proposals involving cooperatives formed by two or more school districts.  At least one of the recipient cooperatives shall be rural school districts. 

Proposals for the grants shall be developed by a local advisory board.  Fifty percent of the membership of the board shall be teachers.  The board shall also include representation from higher education institutions and local school districts.  The local advisory boards shall cooperate with the higher education institutions professional education advisory boards and local education associations in development of the proposals.

Applications shall be submitted by August 1992.  Higher education institutions with main campuses in the state of Washington are eligible to participate in this program.

A review team shall be composed of one member from the HEC Board, two members from higher education institutions, two members representing the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and two members representing the State Board of Education.  They shall review the applications and make recommendations to the HEC Board on recipients of the grants.  The grants shall be awarded by December 30, 1992.

The application for the grants shall document research on peer coaching and collegiality; use of the latest teaching and student assessment research and technologies; understanding of the unique characteristics of a field based model of graduate teacher training; involvement of local teachers and other experts in the training process; commitment of the local school district to the program; support from Washington  institutions of higher education for program development and implementation, provision for formal evaluation of the project;  identification of an agreed upon fiscal agent; and assurance and evidence of quality.

All proposals for local master's degrees involving public four-year institutions shall be approved by the Higher Education Coordinating Board.  

An initial report on the pilot program shall be made to the Legislature by January 31, 1993.

Implementation of the pilot program is subject to a specific appropriation to the SPI for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, to fund the five grants under section 1 of this act.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The Higher Education Coordinating Board is appropriated $250,000 to fund five grants for pilot programs for the development of local master's degree teacher training programs.

Each of the five grants shall be awarded by the Higher Education Coordinating Board to local school districts or higher education institutions.

Special consideration shall be given to proposals that involve cooperatives formed by two or more districts where teachers are placebound.

Appropriation:  $250,000

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

Teacher training needs to be changed.  Collaborative agreements between K-12 and higher education institutions must be developed.  The training program is needed in areas where teachers are placebound.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Bob Pickles, WEA; Marilyn Baker, Higher Education Coordinating Board; Terry Teale, COP