S-2136

AN ACT Relating to high-quality alternative routes to teacher certification; adding a new chapter to Title 28A RCW; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds and declares:

(1) Teacher qualifications and effectiveness are the most important influences on student learning in schools.

(2) Preparation of individuals to become well-qualified, effective teachers must be high quality.

(3) Teachers who complete high-quality alternative route programs with intensive field-based experience, adequate coursework, and strong mentorship do as well or better than teachers who complete traditional preparation programs.

(4) High-quality alternative route programs can provide more flexibility and expedience for individuals to transition from their current career to teaching.

(5) High-quality alternative route programs can help school districts fill subject matter shortage areas and areas with shortages due to geographic location.

(6) Regardless of route, all candidates for residency teacher certification must meet the high standards required by the state.

The legislature recognizes widespread concerns about the potential for teacher shortages and finds that classified instructional staff in public schools represent a great untapped resource for recruiting the teachers of the future.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. There is hereby created a statewide partnership grant program to provide new high-quality alternative routes to residency teacher certification. To the extent funds are appropriated, funds provided under this partnership grant program shall be used solely for school districts, or consortia of school districts, to partner with state-approved higher education teacher preparation programs to provide one or more of three alternative route programs in section 5 of this act, aimed at recruiting candidates to teaching in subject matter shortage areas and areas with shortages due to geographic location. Districts, or consortia of districts, may also include their educational service districts in their partnership grant program. Partnership programs receiving grants may enroll candidates as early as January 2002.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) Each district or consortia of school districts applying for state funds through this program shall submit a proposal to the Washington professional educator standards board specifying:

(a) Which route or routes the partnership program intends to offer and a detailed description of how routes will be structured and operated by the partnership;

(b) The number of candidates that will be enrolled per route;

(c) Identification, indication of commitment, and description of role of approved teacher preparation programs partnering with the district or consortia of districts;

(d) An assurance of district provision of adequate training for mentor teachers either through participation in a state mentor training academy or district-provided training that meets state-established mentor-training standards specific to the mentoring of alternative route candidates;

(e) An assurance of the provision of significant time for mentor teachers with the alternative route teacher candidates throughout the internship. Partnerships must provide mentoring in classrooms until such time that the candidates demonstrate competency necessary to manage the classroom with supervision and guidance from a mentor;

(f) A description of the rigorous screening process for applicants to alternative route programs, including entry requirements specific to each route, as provided in section 5 of this act; and

(g) Development and use of a teacher development plan for each candidate that specifies the alternative route coursework and training required of each candidate by comparing the candidate's prior experience and coursework with the state's new performance-based standards for residency certification and adjusting requirements accordingly.

(2) Districts may apply for funds through this program for stipends for interns during their mentored internship and for stipends for mentorship program.

(3) Districts may enroll candidates seeking endorsements in nonshortage areas, however these candidates are not eligible for state funds under this program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The professional educator standards board, with support from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall select school districts and consortia of school districts to receive partnership grants from funds appropriated by the legislature for this purpose. Factors to be considered in selecting proposals include:

(a) The degree to which the district, or consortia of districts in partnership, are currently experiencing teacher shortages;

(b) The degree to which the proposal addresses criteria specified in section 3 of this act and is in keeping with specifications of program routes in section 5 of this act;

(d) Demonstrated district and in-kind contributions to the program.

(2) Selection of proposals shall also take into consideration the need to ensure an adequate number of candidates for each type of route in order to evaluate their success.

(3) Funds appropriated for the partnership grant program in this chapter shall be administered by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Partnership grants funded under this chapter shall operate one to three specific route programs.

(1) Partnership grant programs seeking funds to operate route one programs shall enroll currently employed classified instructional employees with transferable associate degrees seeking residency teacher certification with endorsements in special education or English as a second language. It is anticipated that candidates enrolled in this route will complete both their bachelor's degree and requirements for residency certification in two years or less, including a mentored internship to be completed in the final year. In addition, partnership programs shall uphold entry requirements for candidates that include:

(a) District or building validation of qualifications, including three years of successful student interaction and leadership as a classified instructional employee;

(b) Successful passage of the statewide basic skills exam, when available; and

(2) Partnership grant programs seeking funds to operate route two programs shall enroll currently employed classified staff with bachelors' degrees seeking residency teacher certification in subject matter shortage areas and areas with shortages due to geographic location. Candidates enrolled in this route must complete a mentored internship complemented by flexibly scheduled training and coursework offered at a local site, such as a school or educational service district, or on-line or via video-conference over the K-20 network, in collaboration with the partnership program's higher education partner. In addition, partnership grant programs shall uphold entry requirements for candidates that include:

(a) District or building validation of qualifications, including three years of successful student interaction and leadership as classified staff;

(b) A bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree. The individual's grade point average will be considered as a factor;

(d) Meeting the age, good moral character, and personal fitness requirements adopted by rule for teachers; and

(e) Successful passage of the statewide basic skills exam, when available.

(3) Partnership grant programs seeking funds to operate route three programs shall enroll individuals with bachelors' degrees seeking residency teacher certification in subject matter shortage areas, other than special education or English as a second language, or shortages due to geographic location. In addition, partnership programs shall uphold entry requirements for candidates that include:

(a) Five years' experience in the work force;

(b) A bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree. The individual's grade point average will be considered as a factor;

(d) External validation of qualifications, including demonstrated successful experience with students or children, such as references letters and letters of support from previous employers;

(e) Meeting the age, good moral character, and personal fitness requirements adopted by rule for teachers; and

(f) Successful passage of statewide basic skills exams, when available.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The alternative route conditional scholarship program is created under the following guidelines:

(1) The program shall be administered by the higher education coordinating board. In administering the program, the higher education coordinating board has the following powers and duties:

(a) To adopt necessary rules and develop guidelines to administer the program;

(b) To collect and manage repayments from participants who do not meet their service obligations; and

(2) The Washington professional educator standards board shall select the classified instructional staff and other classified staff accepted in alternative routes one or two through the partnership grant program, as described in section 5 of this act, who are eligible to receive conditional scholarships.

(3) In order to receive conditional scholarship awards, recipients shall be accepted and maintain enrollment in alternative certification routes one or two through the partnership grant program, as provided in section 5 of this act. Recipients must continue to make satisfactory progress towards completing the alternative route certification program and receiving a residency teaching certificate.

(4) For the purpose of this chapter, a conditional scholarship is a loan that is forgiven in exchange for service as a certificated teacher employed in a Washington state K-12 public school. The state shall forgive one year of loan obligation for every two years a recipient teaches in a public school. Recipients that fail to continue a course of study leading to residency teacher certification or cease to teach in a public school in the state of Washington in their endorsement area are required to repay the remaining loan principal with interest.

(5) Recipients who fail to fulfill the required teaching obligation are required to repay the remaining loan principal with interest and any other applicable fees. The higher education coordinating board shall adopt rules to define the terms for repayment, including applicable interest rates, fees, and deferments.

(6) To the extent funds are appropriated, the annual amount of the scholarship is the annual cost of tuition for the alternative route certification program in which the recipient is enrolled, not to exceed four thousand dollars. The board may adjust the annual award by the rate of undergraduate resident tuition increases at the public four-year research institutions of higher education.

(7) The higher education coordinating board may deposit all appropriations, collections, and any other funds received for the program in this chapter in the student loan account authorized in RCW 28B.102.060.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. This chapter expires June 30, 2005.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The Washington state institute for public policy shall submit to the education and fiscal committees of the legislature, the governor, and the Washington professional educator standards board an interim evaluation of partnership grant programs funded under this act by December 1, 2002, and a final evaluation by December 1, 2004.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Sections 1 through 8 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 28A RCW.