AN ACT
Relating to including kindergarten in the approval of private schools; and
amending RCW 28A.305.130.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
28A.305.130 and 1995 c 369 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
In
addition to any other powers and duties as provided by law, the state board of
education shall:
(1)
Approve or disapprove the program of courses leading to teacher, school
administrator, and school specialized personnel certification offered by all
institutions of higher education within the state which may be accredited and
whose graduates may become entitled to receive such certification.
(2)
Conduct every five years a review of the program approval standards, including
the minimum standards for teachers, administrators, and educational staff
associates, to reflect research findings and assure continued improvement of
preparation programs for teachers, administrators, and educational staff
associates.
(3)
Investigate the character of the work required to be performed as a condition
of entrance to and graduation from any institution of higher education in this
state relative to such certification as provided for in subsection (1) above,
and prepare a list of accredited institutions of higher education of this and
other states whose graduates may be awarded such certificates.
(4)(a)
The state board of education shall adopt rules to allow a teacher certification
candidate to fulfill, in part, teacher preparation program requirements through
work experience as a noncertificated teacher's aide in a public school or
private school meeting the requirements of RCW 28A.195.010. The rules shall
include, but are not limited to, limitations based upon the recency of the
teacher preparation candidate's teacher aide work experience, and limitations
based on the amount of work experience that may apply toward teacher
preparation program requirements under this chapter.
(b)
The state board of education shall require that at the time of the individual's
enrollment in a teacher preparation program, the supervising teacher and the
building principal shall jointly provide to the teacher preparation program of
the higher education institution at which the teacher candidate is enrolled, a
written assessment of the performance of the teacher candidate. The assessment
shall contain such information as determined by the state board of education
and shall include: Evidence that at least fifty percent of the candidate's
work as a noncertificated teacher's aide was involved in instructional
activities with children under the supervision of a certificated teacher and
that the candidate worked a minimum of six hundred thirty hours for one school
year; the type of work performed by the candidate; and a recommendation of
whether the candidate's work experience as a noncertificated teacher's aide
should be substituted for teacher preparation program requirements. In
compliance with such rules as may be established by the state board of
education under this section, the teacher preparation programs of the higher
education institution where the candidate is enrolled shall make the final
determination as to what teacher preparation program requirements may be
fulfilled by teacher aide work experience.
(5)
Supervise the issuance of such certificates as provided for in subsection (1)
above and specify the types and kinds of certificates necessary for the several
departments of the common schools by rule or regulation in accordance with RCW
28A.410.010.
(6)
Accredit, subject to such accreditation standards and procedures as may be
established by the state board of education, all schools that apply for
accreditation, and approve, subject to the provisions of RCW 28A.195.010,
private schools carrying out a program for any or all of the grades ((one))
kindergarten through twelve: PROVIDED, That no private school may be
approved that operates a kindergarten program only: PROVIDED FURTHER, That
no public or private schools shall be placed upon the list of accredited
schools so long as secret societies are knowingly allowed to exist among its
students by school officials: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the state board may elect
to require all or certain classifications of the public schools to conduct and
participate in such pre-accreditation examination and evaluation processes as
may now or hereafter be established by the board.
(7)
Make rules and regulations governing the establishment in any existing nonhigh
school district of any secondary program or any new grades in grades nine
through twelve. Before any such program or any new grades are established the
district must obtain prior approval of the state board.
(8)
Prepare such outline of study for the common schools as the board shall deem
necessary, and prescribe such rules for the general government of the common
schools, as shall seek to secure regularity of attendance, prevent truancy,
secure efficiency, and promote the true interest of the common schools.
(9)
Continuously reevaluate courses and adopt and enforce regulations within the
common schools so as to meet the educational needs of students and articulate
with the institutions of higher education and unify the work of the public
school system.
(10)
Carry out board powers and duties relating to the organization and
reorganization of school districts under RCW 28A.315.010 through 28A.315.680
and 28A.315.900.
(11)
By rule or regulation promulgated upon the advice of the chief of the
Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, provide for
instruction of pupils in the public and private schools carrying out a K
through 12 program, or any part thereof, so that in case of sudden emergency
they shall be able to leave their particular school building in the shortest
possible time or take such other steps as the particular emergency demands, and
without confusion or panic; such rules and regulations shall be published and
distributed to certificated personnel throughout the state whose duties shall
include a familiarization therewith as well as the means of implementation
thereof at their particular school.
(12)
Hear and decide appeals as otherwise provided by law.
The
state board of education is given the authority to promulgate information and
rules dealing with the prevention of child abuse for purposes of curriculum use
in the common schools.
