FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1120

C 263 L 01

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Establishing requirements for employing holders of lapsed teaching certificates.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Rockefeller, Cox, Talcott, Quall, Santos, Haigh, Anderson, McDermott, Schindler, D. Schmidt, Pearson, Keiser and Jackley).

House Committee on Education

Senate Committee on Education

Background:

Teachers must be certified by the state in order to teach in Washington=s public or approved private schools.  The State Board of Education establishes the rules that govern teacher certification, and the board requires teachers who received their continuing or professional teaching certificates after August 30, 1987, to obtain 150 clock hours of education every five years in order to maintain that certificate.  If a teacher does not fulfill the requirement, the teacher's certificate lapses.  Teachers with lapsed certificates may be eligible to teach as substitutes, but they may not be employed as regular teachers without obtaining additional credit hours.

Summary:

School districts may employ teachers and former teachers with lapsed teaching certificates.  The teachers must complete certificate renewal requirements within two years of re-employment.  Teachers with certificates that were revoked or suspended are not eligible for conditional employment.

Votes on Final Passage:

House971

Senate450(Senate amended)

House812(House concurred)

Effective:  July 22, 2001