Z-0630

AN ACT Relating to an educational employees' compensation policy; adding new sections to chapter 28A.400 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds it necessary for the state of Washington to establish a long-term policy regarding the compensation of public school employees. Such a compensation policy shall:

(1) Provide stability in budgetary planning at both the state and local school district levels;

(2) Provide certainty and fairness to educational employees; and

(3) Encourage and reward outstanding educational improvements.

A long-range compensation policy should be comprised of three parts: "Catch-up," "keep-up," and building-based enhancements. Educators' compensation should "catch-up" to the previously attained level of the top ten percent of states. Such compensation should then "keep-up" to that level, with an assurance of annual cost-of-living increases at the very least. In addition, the attainment of goals for educational improvement, including the performance of students, should be recognized through financial enhancements to any or all employees of any school buildings if the predetermined annual individual building goals of those buildings are successfully achieved.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.400 RCW to read as follows:

The legislature shall appropriate sufficient funds to assure that educational employees are compensated at a rate which places Washington in the top ten percent of states by the 2000-01 school year. Compensation improvements relative to national comparisons may be phased-in during the years before 2000-01. Different rates of increase in compensation may be provided to different groups or classifications of educational employees only to the degree that national comparisons so indicate.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.400 RCW to read as follows:

Following placement in the top ten percent of states for educational employees' compensation in the school year 2000-01, the legislature shall appropriate sufficient funds in each year of the biennial operating budget to assure that the average annual compensation increase for educational employees in the public schools is at least equal to the inflationary or cost-of-living increases assumed elsewhere in the budget document.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 28A.400 RCW to read as follows:

From funds provided by the legislature, the state board of education shall establish the excellent school building program intended to provide financial awards to school buildings for allocation by the buildings' employees if the predetermined goals of those schools are achieved in a manner that demonstrates substantial educational improvements.

(1) The employees of any school building, separately or in concert with the staff of any other school building, may submit an annual application to the state board of education for the excellent school building program.

(a) The application must be approved by the school district board of directors, or if jointly submitted by more than one district, by the respective boards.

(b) The application shall state the educational improvement goals to be achieved in the school building, as determined by the employees.

(2) At the conclusion of the school year, those who submitted applications for the excellent school building program may submit documentation to the state board of education demonstrating the degree to which the goals of the building were achieved. Such documentation may include student achievement scores, surveys, or other means as determined by the state board of education.

(3) The state board of education shall analyze and evaluate all applications and documentation of achievement to determine which school buildings shall receive a financial award from the excellent school building program. The maximum amount of each financial award shall be one thousand dollars multiplied by the number of full-time equivalent employees assigned to the school building.

(a) The state board of education shall adopt such rules in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW as are necessary regarding the timing and content of the application, the timing and content of the documentation, the priority given to the final decisions, and the amount of each award.

(b) The state board of education may establish an advisory committee as it deems necessary to assist in the implementation of this section.

(4) The employees of any school building or buildings selected to receive a financial award shall decide how the award shall be expended. However, if such financial award is expended in the form of employee compensation, such remuneration shall not be considered as compensation under RCW 28A.400.200.

(5) Any school district board of directors may authorize individual school or community councils to:

(a) Develop the building application and goals pursuant to subsection (1) of this section;

(b) Submit the documentation of educational achievement pursuant to subsection (2) of this section; and