HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1518

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                          Education

Title:  An act relating to internship credit for teachers.

Brief Description:  Authorizing clock hours for teachers participating in internships.

Sponsors:  Representatives Thompson, Lambert, Talcott, Brumsickle, Elliot, Radcliff, D. Schmidt, Pelesky, Padden, Veloria, Dickerson, McMahan, Quall, Johnson, Basich and Mason.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Education:  2/7/95, 2/17/95 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 18 members:  Representatives Brumsickle, Chairman; Elliot, Vice Chairman; Johnson, Vice Chairman; Cole, Ranking Minority Member; Poulsen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Clements; Dickerson; G. Fisher; Fuhrman; Hatfield; McMahan; Pelesky; Radcliff; Smith; Talcott; B. Thomas; Thompson and Veloria.

Staff:  Robert Butts (786-7111).

Background:  Business leaders, educators, parents, and others have been concerned that public school curriculum needs to be more relevant to the future careers of students, and that teachers lack knowledge regarding the day-to-day issues and operations of business, industry, and government. 

To encourage teachers to become more familiar with business, industry, and government, it has been recommended that teachers be able to receive "clock hour" credit on the state's salary allocation schedule when they complete internships with these organizations.  These credits can be used for future salary increases and for meeting the continuing education requirement required for teacher certification since 1987.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Certificated personnel who participate in an approved internship may receive the equivalent of one college quarter credit on the statewide salary allocation schedule for every 25 hours of participation in the internship.  The internship must be with a business, an industrial firm, or government.

The State Board of Education is directed to establish rules by December 31, 1995, for participation in the internships.  To receive credit, the individual must demonstrate that the internship will provide beneficial skills and knowledge in an area directly related to his or her current assignment, or to his or her assignment for the following school year.  

An individual may not receive more than the equivalent of 15 college quarter credits for internships during a five-year period.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The effective date for being eligible for the credits was delayed from August 31, 1995, to December 31, 1995.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 31, 1995.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  We need to provide incentives for teachers to become more knowledgeable regarding business and industry.  Teachers who have participated in internships returned to the classroom with new energy and have improved their curricula based on what they learned.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Bill Thompson, prime sponsor; Randy Dorn, citizen; Kathleen Lopp, Washington Vocational Education Association; Tom Lopp, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Randy Lippold, Mt. Tahoma High School; Ron Shea, New Market Vocational Skills Center; Judy Hartmann, Washington Education Association; and Larry Davis, State Board of Education.