AN ACT Relating to educator internship programs; amending RCW 28A.415.270 and 28A.415.280; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 28A.415.270 and 1996 c 233 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) To the extent funds are appropriated, the Washington state principal internship support program is created beginning in the 1994-95 school year. The purpose of the program is to provide funds to school districts to provide partial release time for district employees who are in a principal preparation program to complete an internship with a mentor principal. Funds may be used in a variety of ways to accommodate flexible implementation in releasing the intern to meet program requirements.

(2) Participants in the principal internship support program shall be selected as follows:

(a) The candidate shall be enrolled in a state board‑approved school principal preparation program;

(b) The candidate shall apply in writing to his or her local school district. Candidates, if accepted, must agree to seek employment in Washington state after receiving certification as a principal, participate in education improvement training activities, contribute to education improvement activities in the school in which they are serving as interns, and participate in evaluations of the effectiveness of the program;

(c) Each school district shall determine which applicants meet its criteria for participation in the principal internship support program and shall notify ((~~its educational service district~~)) the superintendent of public instruction of the school district's selected applicants. When submitting the names of applicants, the school district shall identify a mentor principal for each principal intern applicant, and shall agree to provide the internship applicant release time not to exceed the equivalent of forty-five student days by means of this funding source; and

(d) ((~~Educational service districts~~)) The superintendent of public instruction, with the assistance of an advisory board that includes principals and higher education representatives, shall select internship participants. When selecting participants, the superintendent shall give a priority to candidates who intend to serve as building administrators in schools where finding qualified building administrators has been difficult.

(3) The maximum amount of state funding for each internship shall not exceed the actual daily rate cost of providing a substitute teacher for the equivalent of forty-five school days.

(4) Funds appropriated for the principal internship support program shall be ((~~allocated~~)) distributed to school districts by the superintendent of public instruction ((to the educational service districts based on the percentage of full-time equivalent public school students enrolled in school districts in each educational service district. If it is not possible to find qualified candidates within the educational service district, the positions remain unfilled, and any unspent funds shall revert to the superintendent of public instruction for supplementary direct disbursement.

The superintendent of public instruction shall allocate any remaining unfilled positions and unspent funds among the educational service districts that have qualified candidates but not enough positions for them.

~~This subsection does not preclude the superintendent of public instruction from permitting the affected educational service districts to make the supplementary selections.~~

~~(5) Once principal internship participants have been selected, the educational service districts shall allocate the funds to the appropriate school districts~~)). The funds shall be used to pay for partial release time while the school district employee is completing the principal internship.

((~~(6) Educational service districts~~)) (5) The superintendent of public instruction may ((~~be reimbursed for~~)) withhold costs associated with implementing the program, which may not exceed seven percent of the funds appropriated for the internship program. ((~~Reimbursement rates shall be determined by the superintendent of public instruction.~~))

Sec. 2. RCW 28A.415.280 and 1996 c 233 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) To the extent funds are appropriated, the Washington state superintendent and program administrator internship support program is created beginning in the 1994-95 school year. The purpose of the program is to provide funds to school districts to provide partial release time for district employees who are in a superintendent or program administrator preparation program to complete an internship with a mentor administrator. Funds may be used in a variety of ways to accommodate flexible implementation in releasing the intern to meet program requirements.

(2) Participants in the superintendent and program administrator internship support program shall be selected as follows:

(a) The candidate shall be enrolled in a state board-approved school district superintendent or program administrator preparation program;

(b) The candidate shall apply in writing to his or her local school district. Candidates, if accepted, must agree to seek employment in Washington state after receiving certification, participate in education improvement training activities, contribute to education improvement activities in the district in which they are serving as interns, and participate in evaluations of the effectiveness of the program;

(c) Each school district shall determine which applicants meet its criteria for participation in the internship support program and shall notify ((~~its educational service district~~)) the superintendent of public instruction of the school district's selected applicants. When submitting the names of applicants, the school district shall identify a mentor administrator for each intern applicant and shall agree to provide the internship applicant release time not to exceed the equivalent of forty-five student days by means of this funding source; and

(d) ((~~Educational service districts~~)) The superintendent of public instruction, with the assistance of an advisory board that includes superintendents, program administrators, and higher education representatives, shall select internship participants.

(3)(a) The maximum amount of state funding for each internship shall not exceed the actual daily rate cost of providing a substitute teacher for the equivalent of forty-five school days.

(b) Funds appropriated for the internship support program shall be ((~~allocated~~)) distributed to school districts by the superintendent of public instruction ((~~to the educational service districts based on the percentage of full-time equivalent public school students enrolled in school districts in each educational service district.~~

(c) Once internship participants have been selected, the educational service districts shall allocate the funds to the appropriate school districts. The funds shall be used to pay for partial release time while the school district employee is completing the internship.

(d) If an educational service district has unfilled superintendent or program administrator internship positions, the positions and unspent funds shall revert to the superintendent of public instruction for supplementary direct disbursement among the educational service districts.

~~This subsection does not preclude the superintendent of public instruction from permitting the affected educational service districts to make the supplementary selections~~)).

((~~(e) Educational service districts~~)) (c) The superintendent of public instruction may ((~~be reimbursed for~~)) withhold costs associated with implementing the program, which may not exceed seven percent of funds appropriated for the internship program. ((~~Reimbursement rates shall be determined by the superintendent of public instruction.~~))

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of eight hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 1998, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.