H-0026

AN ACT Relating to the state board of education; amending RCW 28A.305.130, 28A.305.240, 28A.305.250, and 28A.410.040; and repealing RCW 28A.410.050.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 28A.305.130 and 1990 c 33 s 266 are each amended to read as follows:

In addition to any other powers and duties as provided by law, the state board of education shall:

(1) Approve or disapprove the program of courses leading to teacher, school administrator, and school specialized personnel certification offered by all institutions of higher education within the state which may be accredited and whose graduates may become entitled to receive such certification.

(2) Conduct every five years a review of the program approval standards, including the minimum standards for teachers, administrators, and educational staff associates, to reflect research findings and assure continued improvement of preparation programs for teachers, administrators, and educational staff associates.

(3) Investigate the character of the work required to be performed as a condition of entrance to and graduation from any institution of higher education in this state relative to such certification as provided for in subsection (1) ((~~above~~)) of this section, and prepare a list of accredited institutions of higher education of this and other states whose graduates may be awarded such certificates.

(4)(a) The state board of education shall adopt rules to allow a teacher certification candidate to fulfill, in part, teacher preparation program requirements through work experience as a noncertificated teacher's aide in a public school or private school meeting the requirements of RCW 28A.195.010. The rules shall include, but are not limited to, limitations based upon the recency of the teacher preparation candidate's teacher aide work experience, and limitations based on the amount of work experience that may apply toward teacher preparation program requirements under this chapter.

(b) The state board of education shall require that at the time of the individual's enrollment in a teacher preparation program, the supervising teacher and the building principal shall jointly provide to the teacher preparation program of the higher education institution at which the teacher candidate is enrolled, a written assessment of the performance of the teacher candidate. The assessment shall contain such information as determined by the state board of education and shall include: Evidence that at least fifty percent of the candidate's work as a noncertificated teacher's aide was involved in instructional activities with children under the supervision of a certificated teacher and that the candidate worked a minimum of six hundred thirty hours for one school year; the type of work performed by the candidate; and a recommendation of whether the candidate's work experience as a noncertificated teacher's aide should be substituted for teacher preparation program requirements. In compliance with such rules as may be established by the state board of education under this section, the teacher preparation programs of the higher education institution where the candidate is enrolled shall make the final determination as to what teacher preparation program requirements may be fulfilled by teacher aide work experience.

(5) Supervise the issuance of such certificates as provided for in subsection (1) ((~~above~~)) of this section and specify the types and kinds of certificates necessary for the several departments of the common schools by rule or regulation in accordance with RCW 28A.410.010.

(6) Accredit, subject to such accreditation standards and procedures as may be established by the state board of education, all schools that apply for accreditation, and approve, subject to the provisions of RCW 28A.195.010, private schools carrying out a program for any or all of the grades one through twelve: PROVIDED, That no public or private schools shall be placed upon the list of accredited schools so long as secret societies are knowingly allowed to exist among its students by school officials: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the state board may elect to require all or certain classifications of the public schools to conduct and participate in such pre-accreditation examination and evaluation processes as may now or hereafter be established by the board.

(7) Make rules and regulations governing the establishment in any existing nonhigh school district of any secondary program or any new grades in grades nine through twelve. Before any such program or any new grades are established the district must obtain prior approval of the state board.

(8) Prepare such outline of study for the common schools as the board shall deem necessary, and prescribe such rules for the general government of the common schools, as shall seek to secure regularity of attendance, prevent truancy, secure efficiency, and promote the true interest of the common schools.

(9) ((Prepare with the assistance of the superintendent of public instruction a uniform series of questions, with the proper answers thereto for use in the correcting thereof, to be used in the examination of persons, as this code may direct, and prescribe rules and regulations for conducting any such examinations.

~~(10)~~)) Continuously reevaluate courses and adopt and enforce regulations within the common schools so as to meet the educational needs of students and articulate with the institutions of higher education and unify the work of the public school system.

((~~(11)~~)) (10) Carry out board powers and duties relating to the organization and reorganization of school districts under RCW 28A.315.010 through 28A.315.680 and 28A.315.900.

((~~(12)~~)) (11) By rule or regulation promulgated upon the advice of the director of community development, through the director of fire protection, provide for instruction of pupils in the public and private schools carrying out a K through 12 program, or any part thereof, so that in case of sudden emergency they shall be able to leave their particular school building in the shortest possible time or take such other steps as the particular emergency demands, and without confusion or panic; such rules and regulations shall be published and distributed to certificated personnel throughout the state whose duties shall include a familiarization therewith as well as the means of implementation thereof at their particular school.

((~~(13)~~)) (12) Hear and decide appeals as otherwise provided by law.

The state board of education is given the authority to promulgate information and rules dealing with the prevention of child abuse for purposes of curriculum use in the common schools.

Sec. 2. RCW 28A.305.240 and 1990 c 33 s 268 are each amended to read as follows:

In developing the standards under RCW 28A.410.040((~~, 28A.410.050,~~)) and 28A.410.150 through 28A.410.190, the state board of education shall review ways to strengthen program unit functions and processes to enhance cooperative agreements between public or private institutions of higher education and schools or school districts.

Sec. 3. RCW 28A.305.250 and 1990 c 33 s 269 are each amended to read as follows:

The state board of education and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall review the provisions of the interstate agreement on qualifications of educational personnel under chapter 28A.690 RCW, and advise the governor and the legislature on which interstate reciprocity provisions will require amendment to be consistent with RCW 28A.410.040 ((~~and 28A.410.050~~)) by January 1, 1992.

Sec. 4. RCW 28A.410.040 and 1990 c 33 s 406 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The state board of education shall adopt rules providing that, except as provided in this section, all individuals qualifying for an initial-level teaching certificate after August 31, 1992, shall possess a baccalaureate degree in the arts, sciences, and/or humanities and have fulfilled the requirements for teacher certification pursuant to RCW 28A.305.130 (1) and (2). The state board of education shall develop and adopt rules establishing baccalaureate degree equivalency standards for certification of vocational instructors performing instructional duties and acquiring initial level certification after August 31, 1992. However, candidates for grades preschool through eight certificates shall have fulfilled the requirements for a major as part of their baccalaureate degree. If the major is in early childhood education, elementary education, or special education, the candidate must have at least thirty quarter hours or twenty semester hours in one academic field.

(2) The state board of education shall study the impact of eliminating the major in education under subsection (1) of this section and submit a report to the legislature by January 15, 1990. The report shall include a recommendation on whether the major in education under subsection (1) of this section should be eliminated.

(3) The initial certificate shall be valid for ((~~two years.~~

(4) Certificate holders may renew the certificate for a three-year period by providing proof of acceptance and enrollment in an approved masters degree program. A second renewal, for a period of two years, may be granted upon recommendation of the degree-granting institution and if the certificate holder can demonstrate substantial progress toward the completion of the masters degree and that the degree will be completed within the two-year extension period. Under no circumstances may an initial certificate be valid for)) a period of no more than seven years. The initial certificate may be reinstated pursuant to state board of education rules.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. RCW 28A.410.050 and 1989 c 29 s 2 are each repealed.