BILL REQ. #: H-2132.1
| State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2005 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 03/03/05.
AN ACT Relating to tuition and fee assistance for teachers seeking additional education; adding a new section to chapter 28A.405 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that students benefit
most from great teachers who are well-educated and knowledgeable in the
subjects they teach. As a result, the state's salary schedule provides
annual recognition for teachers with either a master's degree or a
doctorate. The legislature also finds that the state has implemented
a professional certification process requiring beginning teachers to
meet new rigorous, performance-based standards. The professional
certification process requires teachers to complete a minimum of
fifteen postgraduate quarter credits and to demonstrate competency in
specific knowledge and skill areas. The legislature further finds that
beginning teachers are at the bottom of the salary schedule and often
leave college with varying amounts of debt. Although new teachers are
the lowest paid in the system, they are required to take additional
college courses, often acquiring more debt, to meet the educational
requirements for a professional certificate. The legislature intends
to assist beginning public school teachers with their educational
expenses by providing a bonus to teachers who obtain a professional
certificate.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 28A.405
RCW to read as follows:
The state shall provide additional funding for a bonus to a teacher
who has obtained a professional certificate. The bonus shall be
calculated as ten percent of the salary for a teacher with a bachelor
of arts degree and zero years of service on the state salary allocation
model for certificated instructional staff. Moneys under this section
received by a school district may be used only to provide bonuses to
teachers who have obtained a professional certificate.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2005, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and
void.