BILL REQ. #:  S-2010.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/27/03.   

     AN ACT Relating to educational interpreters; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that the Washington professional educator standards board has advisory responsibilities on certain educational issues, including certification issues. The legislature further finds that there is currently no requirement for educational interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing students to be certified or to meet standardized qualifications or competencies.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   By November 30, 2004, the Washington professional educator standards board shall conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the following options and make recommendations to the governor, the legislature, the superintendent of public instruction, and the state board of education regarding the following options:
     (1) Requiring national or state certification for all educational interpreters for deaf students and hard of hearing students;
     (2) Designating educational interpreters as educational staff associates;
     (3) Requiring the state board of education to establish competencies for educational interpreters;
     (4) Requiring the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in cooperation with institutions of higher education that have a deaf studies program, to provide a training program for educational sign language interpreters. The goal of the training program would be a four-year degree in educational interpreting. The pilot program would be accessible to all areas of Washington through a combination of interactive video conferences, online courses, and face-to-face classes; and
     (5) Any other option that the Washington professional educator standards board deems viable to increase and maintain the quality and availability of educational interpreters in a fiscally responsible manner.