CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

                        SENATE BILL 6217

                   Chapter 309, Laws of 1996

                        54th Legislature

                      1996 Regular Session

      TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS--ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  6/6/96

Passed by the Senate March 6, 1996   YEAS 46   NAYS 1             JOEL PRITCHARD President of the Senate Passed by the House March 5, 1996   YEAS 68   NAYS 25

CERTIFICATE I, Marty Brown, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SENATE BILL 6217 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

CLYDE BALLARD Speaker of the       House of Representatives

MARTY BROWN                             Secretary

Approved March 30, 1996 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.

FILED                      March 30, 1996 - 4:43 p.m.

MIKE LOWRY Governor of the State of Washington

Secretary of State                   State of Washington

          _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6217

          _______________________________________________

                      AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

             Passed Legislature - 1996 Regular Session

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

By Senators Johnson and McAuliffe; by request of Board of Education

Read first time 01/09/96.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Changing requirements for admission to teacher preparation programs. 

    AN ACT Relating to demonstrating basic skills for entrance into a teacher preparation program; and amending RCW 28A.410.020.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 28A.410.020 and 1991 c 116 s 20 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) No person may be admitted to a professional teacher preparation program within Washington state without first demonstrating by one of the following options that he or she is competent in the basic skills required for oral and written communication, reading, and computation((.  This requirement shall be waived for persons who have completed)):

(a) Successful completion of an examination in the basic skills required for oral and written communication, reading, and computation; or

(b) Completion of a baccalaureate degree program; or

(c) Completion of a graduate degree program; or ((who have completed))

(d) Completion of two or more years of college level course work((,)) and demonstrated basic skills competency through college level course work and a written essay((, and are over the age of twenty-one)); or

(e) Earning a combined score of more than the state-wide median score for the prior school year scored by all persons taking tests of general achievement selected by the state board of education.

    (2) ((After June 30, 1989, no person shall be admitted to a teacher preparation program who has a combined score of less than the state-wide median score for the prior school year scored by all persons taking tests of general achievement selected by the state board of education.  The state board of education shall develop criteria and adopt rules for exemptions from this subsection.

    (3))) The state board of education shall adopt rules to implement this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  (1) As part of the report required by RCW 28A.410.013, the state board of education shall include specific recommendations for establishment of a uniform test of basic skills:

    (a) As a requirement for admission to a professional teacher preparation program within Washington state; and

    (b) As a requirement for out-of-state teachers applying for Washington state certification.

    (2) This section shall expire January 31, 1997.

    Passed the Senate March 6, 1996.

    Passed the House March 5, 1996.

Approved by the Governor March 30, 1996.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 30, 1996.