BP BHEAD INT H [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to the certification of specialists program; adding a new section to chapter 28A.410 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.400 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. Washington is home to many of the nation's most successful math, science, and technology experts. It is the intent of the legislature to attract career professionals from diverse backgrounds into the teaching profession and prevent teacher shortages by making teacher certification available to persons with baccalaureate degrees and relevant work experience or sufficient knowledge of the subject area to be taught. The intent of the legislature in establishing the certification of specialists program is to allow eligible persons to enter the classroom under the guidance and supervision of a school district and to qualify for continuing teacher certification upon satisfactory completion of three years of full-time teaching.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.410 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The certification of specialists program is established.

(2) At the request of a local school district or private school, the state board of education shall issue a one-year provisional teaching certificate to individuals with at least five years' work experience in math, science, technology, foreign language, or other area of need identified by a local district or private school, under the following conditions:

(a) The application contains documentation of education and work experience including at least five years of work experience in the area in which certification is being considered;

(b) The candidate holds a bachelor's degree from a nationally or regionally accredited postsecondary institution;

(c) The candidate meets the age and character requirements established by the state board of education for all certificated school staff, including compliance with the background check through the Washington state patrol criminal investigation system and the federal bureau of investigation as required under RCW 28A.410.010; and

(d) The candidate has completed the training program offered by the local district or private school.

(3) A local school district or private school seeking to hire a teacher under the certification of specialists program shall develop and file a plan for a training program with the state board of education.

(a) The school district training program must require that the teacher candidate pass a basic skills test selected by the school district and any subject matter test required of all teacher candidates in the subject area.

(b) The school district training program must provide the teacher candidate with direct classroom experience supported by skilled teachers and include but not be limited to the following components:

(i) A training program prior to the time the candidate assumes responsibility for a classroom. The content and formal instruction may include classroom safety and management, pedagogy, and state requirements relating to child abuse reporting;

(ii) A period of at least eighteen weeks of continued supervision of the teacher candidate, who may be assigned full-time classroom duties. During this period, the teacher candidate must be critiqued at least once per month and must be observed formally and evaluated at least twice. No more than two months may pass without a formal observation of the teacher candidate;

(iii) A teacher specialist certified under this program shall continue in a formal mentorship for the first two years after a certificate is awarded. The mentorship must include observations of the teacher specialist by the mentor teacher and observations by the teacher specialist of the mentor teacher in his or her own classroom.

(4) An individual employed under this program shall be certified for one year and approved for subsequent one-year renewals upon request of the local school district.

(5) A teacher specialist who successfully completes three contract years under the provisions of this section shall be awarded a regular continuing certificate subject to certificate renewal requirements.

(6) A candidate pursuing certification through the certification of specialists program shall be placed on the local district salary schedule for the rank corresponding to the degree held by the teacher. The candidate shall also receive one year of credit on the salary schedule for every three years of documented work in the speciality area.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.400 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A local district may hire individuals as part-time specialists to teach in public schools.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "part-time specialist" means an individual who has expertise in areas such as math, science, technology, foreign language, or other area of need identified by a local district or private school.

(3) Part-time specialists must meet the age and character requirements established by the state board of education for all certificated school staff, including compliance with the background check through the Washington state patrol criminal investigation system and the federal bureau of investigation as required under RCW 28A.410.010.

(4) Local or private school boards may contract with part-time specialists for part-time services on an hourly, daily, or other periodic basis as best meets the needs of the board. A part-time specialist shall not fill a position that will result in the displacement of a qualified teacher with a regular certificate who is already employed in the district or private school.

(5) An orientation and mentorship program must be developed and implemented for part-time specialists by the local school board, which may include classroom safety and management, pedagogy, and state requirements relating to child abuse reporting.

(6) Local school boards shall follow RCW 28A.400.285 when contracting with part-time specialists.