Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Higher Education

HB 1399

Brief Description:  Providing conditional scholarships for future bilingual and English as a second language teachers.

Sponsors:  Representatives Kenney, Cox, Fromhold, Skinner, Santos, Talcott, Quall, Hunt, Delvin, McDermott, Romero, Tokuda, Darneille, Keiser, Edwards, Veloria, Gombosky, McIntire, Kagi, Haigh, Conway, Casada, Rockefeller and Kessler.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Amends  the future teachers conditional scholarship program to allow eligibility for students who wish to gain certification or endorsement as bilingual or English as a 2nd language teachers.

$Scholarship amount equals the tuition and fees at the college or university the student attends or the resident undergraduate tuition and fees at the University of Washington, whichever is lower.

$Directs Higher Education Coordinating Board to give priority to bilingual students who demonstrate proficiency.

Hearing Date:  2/5/01

Staff:  Marsha Reilly (786‑7135).

Background: 

The future teachers conditional scholarship program was created in 1987.  The program was designed to attract individuals into the teaching profession who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and who are likely to be good role models for students.  The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) develops criteria for selecting scholarship recipients and  administers the scholarship.   

Students eligible for these scholarships must:

$Register for at least 10 credit hours per quarter, or the equivalent.

$Demonstrate academic achievement of at least a 3.30 high school GPA and be entering college directly from high school or maintain at least a 3.00 GPA or the equivalent for each academic year in college. However, the HECB is authorized to waive grade point requirements for otherwise eligible students under special circumstances.

$Meet residency requirements, except those defined in RCW 28B.15.012(2)(e) (a student who is on active military duty stationed in the state).

$Declare an intention to complete a program leading to:  1) an initial teacher certification;  2)  an additional endorsement; or 3) both if the student already has a baccalaureate and meets the credit hour requirements.

Dependent upon available funding, the scholarship provides up to $3000 per year for a maximum of five years.  Participants must teach two years in an approved education program for each year of scholarship received, otherwise the scholarship must be repaid.

Summary of Bill: 

The future teachers conditional scholarship program is amended to allow a different route of eligibility for future bilingual and English as a second language teachers, and to set a different amount available for scholarship.  All other administrative requirements are the same.  The specific requirements for this program include the following:

$Students must meet the state residency requirements, except those defined in RCW 28B.15.012(2)(e) (a student who is on active military duty stationed in the state).

$Student must declare an intention to complete an approved preparation program leading to teacher certification with an endorsement in bilingual education or English as a second language or is a teacher who is seeking an additional endorsement in bilingual education or English as a second language.

$In any year, the scholarship amount may not exceed the amount of tuition and fees at the college or university the student is attending or the resident undergraduate tuition and fees at the University of Washington, whichever is lower.

$When selecting scholarship recipients, the HECB must give priority to students who are bilingual and who demonstrate their dual language proficiency by meeting a standard established by the HECB in consultation with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction=s bilingual education advisory committee.

Participants must teach two years in an approved education program for each year of scholarship received, otherwise the scholarship must be repaid.

Provisions are made to add the eligibility requirements for the bi-lingual or English as a 2nd language teachers to the "eligible student" definitions, and to add, as an exemption, the amount of the bilingual and English as a second language scholarships.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 30, 2001.