S-0594.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8000
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State of Washington 55th Legislature 1997 Regular Session
By Senator Hochstatter
Read first time 01/14/97. Referred to Committee on Education.
TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION:
We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
WHEREAS, The Legislature recognizes its responsibilities in helping establish and maintain high standards in education for all students at all grade levels in Washington; and
WHEREAS, All Washington K-12 students will soon be required to demonstrate progress toward essential learning requirements at regular intervals, culminating in a certificate of mastery; and
WHEREAS, The success of students in meeting these requirements will depend upon teaching and guidance by educators who are enthusiastic about teaching and literate in the subject matter that the students must master; and
WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of Washington's colleges of education to prepare teachers who are skilled in their profession, literate in the content of the essential academic learning requirements, and qualified to create an exciting educational experience for their students, thus inspiring them to further intellectual adventures in these subjects; and
WHEREAS, The Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board has adopted resolutions encouraging the state colleges of education to review their curriculum requirements to assure that teachers will be literate in the subjects defined by the Legislature and encouraging the State Board of Education to enact changes in the Washington Administrative Code that will require teacher candidates to complete coursework demonstrating literacy in the essential academic learning requirements; and
WHEREAS, The State Board of Education has received amendatory language to a proposed rule that would require all teacher candidates to complete a well-planned sequence of courses through which they can demonstrate literacy in the subjects identified by the Legislature in the Improvement of Student Achievement Act of 1993; and
WHEREAS, The Legislature supports and advocates the axiom that all K-12 teachers should be literate in the essential academic learning requirements;
NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the State Board of Education amend its proposed rule and other appropriate provisions to the Washington Administrative Code to provide that all graduates from the state's colleges of education will have completed coursework to assure their literacy in the essential academic learning requirements, and that all K-12 teachers in the state will, within the near future, complete in-service training programs to accomplish this essential professional competence.
BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the State Board of Education.
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