SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5899

     AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 1, 1993

Brief Description:  Requiring a model compensation system for school employees.

SPONSORS: Senators Pelz, A. Smith, Moore, Wojahn, von Reichbauer, Skratek, Quigley, Talmadge, Niemi, Erwin, Prentice and Winsley

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5899 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Pelz, Chairman; McAuliffe, Vice Chairman; Gaspard, M. Rasmussen, Rinehart, Skratek, A. Smith, and Winsley.

Staff:  Leslie Goldstein (786‑7424)

Hearing Dates: March 1, 1993

BACKGROUND:

The Legislature appropriates funds for salaries for school employees and those funds are allocated to school districts.  Teachers' salaries are distributed to school districts under a statewide salary allocation schedule.  Allocations for teachers' salaries are based upon years of experience and amount of education.  The variations throughout the state in the cost of living are not recognized on the schedule.

SUMMARY:

The Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program Committee is responsible for developing a model for calculating and updating a compensation system for educational employees based upon regional differences in the cost of living.  In the model, the state shall be divided into not more than six different geographic regions.  The model shall be presented to the Legislature by January 15, 1994.

It is the intent of the Legislature to implement a compensation system for educational employees recognizing cost-of-living differences beginning with the 1995-97 biennium.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Intent language that a cost-of-living compensation system be adopted by the Legislature in the 1995-97 biennium is deleted.  The Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program Committee is authorized to adopt more than one compensation model.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

It costs more to live in certain parts of the state.  Equality in salaries does not provide for equity.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

The costs of living in rural areas should be recognized.  Housing is not always available.  Services are often long distances away.  Different pay rates would make it difficult to attract and retain teachers.

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Larry Miner, Director of Labor Relations Seattle School District; Roger Erskine, Seattle Education Assn.; CON: Mark Jacobson, Brewster School District; Karen Davis, Washington Education Assn.