"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that the quality of education for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and the expectations for those children's achievement should be equivalent to those for children throughout the state. The legislature also finds that deaf and hard of hearing children can benefit greatly if they are taught by an educator who is trained to understand the learning and communication issues the children face. Educators who received teacher training in a program for the deaf and hard of hearing are sensitive to the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students and are able to provide appropriate strategies to assist students in reacting to and interacting with their environment. The legislature intends to assist school districts in their efforts to attract teachers who are especially trained to work with deaf and hard of hearing students by directing the state board of education to establish a certification endorsement for teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.410 RCW to read as follows:
     The agency responsible for teacher certification shall develop certification endorsement requirements for teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students. The endorsement shall be focused on the specific skills and knowledge necessary to serve the education and communication needs of deaf and hard of hearing students. In establishing rules for the endorsement of teachers who will be working almost exclusively with students who are deaf or hard of hearing, the agency shall consider applicants to have met state endorsement requirements if they possess a baccalaureate or master's degree in deaf education from a teacher training program approved by the council on education of the deaf."