SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SHB 2310

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                 Education, February 22, 1996

Title:  An act relating to notification of nonrenewal of contracts for certificated employees.

Brief Description:  Changing the date for notification of nonrenewal of a contract for a certificated employee.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Brumsickle, Radcliff and Mitchell).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  2/20/96, 2/22/96 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Goings, Vice Chair; Finkbeiner, Hochstatter, Johnson, Pelz and Rasmussen.

Staff:  Leslie Goldstein (786-7424)

Background:  Certificated employees' contracts, except as otherwise provided by law, are limited to a term of not more than one year.  The school district or educational service district must notify the employee in writing by May 15 if the contract will not be renewed.  Probable cause determinations are made by the school district superintendent.  This applies to all certificated employees, including certificated administrators. 

Because the school districts are required by law to send notices of nonrenewal of contracts for certificated employees by May 15, uncertainty is created in years when the state operating budget has not yet been passed by that date.  In 1995, the budget was passed on May 25 and signed into law on June 15.  In 1993, the budget was passed on May 6 and signed on May 28.

Summary of Amended Bill:  Certificated employees must be notified about nonrenewal of their contracts by May 15.  If the Omnibus Appropriations Act has not been passed by the Legislature by May 15, then certificated employees must be notified no later than June 1.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The June 15 deadline is moved to June 1.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  It is demoralizing to teachers to receive notices that their employment will be terminated.  It impacts the quality of their teaching.  It is an exercise in futility to go through the process of laying off staff when the layoffs are needed.  The June date helps provide solid fiscal planning since districts are able to wait until the state budget has passed.

Testimony Against:  The only thing worse than receiving a termination notice May 15 is receiving one June 15.

Testified:  PRO:  John Kvamme, Tacoma Public Schools; Walter Ball, School Principal's Assn.; Barbara Mertens, WA Assoc. of School Administrators; Dwayne Slate, WA State School Directors Assn.; CON:  Bob Maier, WA Educator Assn.