SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5537

               As Passed Senate, March 11, 1995

Title:  An act relating to teacher preparation.

Brief Description:  Changing teacher preparation provisions.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators McAuliffe, Pelz, Rasmussen, Kohl and Wojahn; by request of Board of Education).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  1/27/95, 2/7/95 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 3/11/95, 26-22.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5537 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

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

Staff:  Leslie Goldstein (786-7424)

Background:  The State Board of Education adopts rules establishing the procedures for becoming a teacher in the state of Washington.  Before entering a teacher preparation program approved by the State Board, applicants who do not at least have a bachelor's degree must successfully pass a basic skills test and have a score equal to the statewide median score on a general skills test.  Upon successfully completing the approved teacher preparation program, the person is eligible for initial certification as a teacher.

Teacher candidates are not required to pass an examination before becoming a certificated teacher.  The State Board is only authorized to develop an assessment for teacher candidates if the Legislature specifically appropriates funds to cover the cost of developing an assessment.

Summary of Bill: Basic Skills Test:  The requirements for admission to teacher preparation programs are changed.  Applicants are no longer required to have at least the statewide median score on a general achievement test.  Specific waivers for the basic skills test are deleted, but the State Board may establish waivers by rule.

Repeal of Miscellaneous Statutes:  The following statutes either encouraging or requiring the State Board to take certain actions are repealed:  1) encouraging instruction in child abuse issues in teacher preparation programs; 2) requiring the board to review ways to strengthen cooperative agreements between public schools and institutions of higher education; 3) requiring plans to increase interactions between higher education faculty and K-12 teachers; 4) requiring review of the interstate agreement on the qualifications of educational personnel; and 5) creating an administrator internship task force.

The statute requiring The Evergreen State College to establish an extension department for teacher training and in-service is repealed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 25, 1995. 

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

Testimony For:  This legislation would give the State Board additional authority to align teacher preparation standards with education reform, including whether or not to implement a teacher assessment and waivers for the basic skills test.  Statutes which are no longer needed are repealed.  The State Board will still require teacher preparation faculty to spend time in K-12 classrooms.

Testimony Against:   None.

Testified:  PRO:  Kathleen Anderson, member, State Board of Education; Sarah Cross, student, Washington State University; Janice Kido, Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

House Amendment(s):  Language is added requiring the State Board, by January 1, 1997, to make recommendations to the Legislature on teacher assessment.  The statute requiring a teacher test if funded by the Legislature is repealed.  Changes to current law regarding the requirements for admission to teacher preparation programs are deleted leaving current law unchanged.  An obsolete statute requiring that regional universities establish extension departments for teacher training and in-service is repealed.