BILL REQ. #:  H-4855.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/08/06.   

     AN ACT Relating to establishing the Washington teach math-science program to increase the number and enhance the preparation of secondary school mathematics and science teachers; amending RCW 28B.102.040, 28B.102.060, and 28A.660.050; reenacting and amending RCW 43.79A.040; adding a new section to chapter 28B.76 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that Washington students are not adequately prepared in mathematics and science:
     (a) Despite steady annual improvement, fewer than half of the seventh and tenth grade students met the state standard in mathematics on the Washington assessment of student learning in 2004;
     (b) Early results from the eighth grade students taking the Washington assessment of student learning in science show that under forty percent met the standard;
     (c) In 2003, nearly half of recent high school graduates attending community and technical colleges enrolled in remedial mathematics courses because they were not ready for college-level mathematics; and
     (d) In 2003, fewer than seventeen percent of bachelor's degrees awarded by public colleges and universities in Washington were in science and engineering fields, a proportion that declined over the previous ten years.
     (2) The legislature further finds that knowledge and skills in mathematics and science are critical for Washington's future economic development and the state's overall well-being:
     (a) Jobs at all levels of training and in multiple fields - from manufacturing and construction, to accounting and finance, to computer technical support and programming - increasingly require workers to perform calculations and analysis at higher levels of complexity;
     (b) Shortages in the state's health care work force are well documented. Health care providers at all levels need strong backgrounds in physical and life sciences;
     (c) Growth in the state's technology, biotechnology, and engineering industries is dependent on ready access to individuals with advanced training and degrees in mathematics and science.
     (3) Finally, the legislature finds that a critical bottleneck for future improvement in students' mathematics and science capabilities is the availability of highly qualified mathematics and science teachers, particularly in secondary schools.
     (4) Therefore, the legislature intends to take a comprehensive approach to improving the quantity and quality of secondary school mathematics and science teachers by creating the Washington teach math-science program.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The Washington teach math-science program is hereby created. The program consists of the following components:
     (1) The teacher preparation programs developed under section 4 of this act;
     (2) The public-private advisory committee established under section 5 of this act;
     (3) Targeted conditional scholarships and loan repayments for future secondary mathematics and science teachers authorized under section 6 of this act; and
     (4) Targeted alternative routes conditional scholarships and loan repayments for future mathematics and science teachers authorized under section 8 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Residency certification" means the first-level teaching certification established under RCW 28A.410.010.
     (2) "Secondary mathematics or science" means academic courses and majors that would qualify a teacher for an endorsement on his or her teaching certificate in middle-level mathematics and science; secondary mathematics; secondary science; or the secondary designated sciences of biology, chemistry, earth science, or physics.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   (1) The higher education coordinating board and the professional educator standards board shall jointly select two institutions of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, to develop and implement a comprehensive program to prepare secondary mathematics and science teachers. The programs shall be available for students by the fall 2007 term and shall include the following components:
     (a) A streamlined curriculum collaboratively designed by the college of education and the college of arts and sciences or their equivalents that permits students to earn a bachelor's degree and residency certification in secondary mathematics or science within four academic years;
     (b) Recruitment and outreach to prospective high school and college students who have expressed interest in mathematics and science, informing them about the program and encouraging them to explore a teaching career;
     (c) Internship experiences during students' first two years of college that provide early exposure to secondary mathematics and science classrooms; and
     (d) Best practice seminars taught by exemplary secondary mathematics and science teachers.
     (2) Requests for proposals to participate under subsection (1) of this section shall be developed and released by the higher education coordinating board and the professional educator standards board by June 15, 2006.
     (3) The institutions of higher education selected under this section may partner with one or more community or technical colleges in the development and implementation of the comprehensive program provided by this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 28B.76 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The board shall convene and assist an advisory committee consisting of representatives of the institutions of higher education selected under section 4 of this act and business and community leaders. The advisory committee shall:
     (a) Solicit for and accept grants and donations from public and private sources for industry-based professional development and internship opportunities related to mathematics and science for students participating in a program established under section 4 of this act and for practicing teachers who completed a program established under section 4 of this act;
     (b) Identify existing and develop new industry-based professional development and internship opportunities related to mathematics and science for students participating in a program established under section 4 of this act and for practicing teachers who completed a program established under section 4 of this act;
     (c) Advise the board on development of rules regarding expenditures for professional development and internship opportunities authorized under this section; and
     (d) Approve expenditures from the math-science professional development account for professional development and internship opportunities authorized under this section.
     (2) The Washington teach math-science professional development account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from private moneys solicited from public and private sources for authorized professional development opportunities under this section must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for professional development opportunities as provided under this section. Only the director of the higher education coordinating board or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

Sec. 6   RCW 28B.102.040 and 2005 c 518 s 918 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The board may select participants based on an application process conducted by the board or the board may ((utilize)) use selection processes for similar students in cooperation with the professional educator standards board or the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
     (2) If the board selects participants for the program, it shall establish a selection committee for screening and selecting recipients of the conditional scholarships. The criteria shall emphasize factors demonstrating excellence including but not limited to superior scholastic achievement, leadership ability, community contributions, bilingual ability, willingness to commit to providing teaching service in shortage areas, and an ability to act as a role model for students. Priority will be given to individuals seeking certification or an additional endorsement in math, science, technology, or special education.
     (3) Beginning July 1, 2006, the board shall increase the number of conditional scholarships awarded by as many qualified applicants who intend to teach secondary mathematics or science as the appropriation will sustain, with a goal of at least seventy additional awards.
     (4) For fiscal years 2006 and 2007, additional priority shall be given to such individuals who are also bilingual. It is the intent of the legislature to develop a pool of dual-language teachers in order to meet the challenge of educating students who are dominant in languages other than English.

Sec. 7   RCW 28B.102.060 and 2004 c 58 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Participants in the conditional scholarship program incur an obligation to repay the conditional scholarship, with interest and an equalization fee, unless they teach for two years in an approved education program for each year of scholarship received, under rules adopted by the board. Participants who teach in a designated teacher shortage area or those receiving funds under RCW 28B.102.040(3) shall have one year of loan canceled for each year they teach in the shortage area.
     (2) The interest rate shall be determined annually by the board. Participants who fail to complete the teaching service shall incur an equalization fee based on the remaining unforgiven balance of the loan. The equalization fee shall be added to the remaining balance and repaid by the participant.
     (3) The minimum payment shall be set by the board. The maximum period for repayment shall be ten years, with payments of principal and interest accruing quarterly commencing six months from the date the participant completes or discontinues the course of study. Provisions for deferral of payment shall be determined by the board.
     (4) The entire principal and interest of each payment shall be forgiven for each payment period in which the participant teaches in an approved education program until the entire repayment obligation is satisfied. Should the participant cease to teach in an approved education program in this state before the participant's repayment obligation is completed, payments on the unsatisfied portion of the principal and interest shall begin the next payment period and continue until the remainder of the participant's repayment obligation is satisfied.
     (5) The board is responsible for collection of repayments made under this section and shall exercise due diligence in such collection, maintaining all necessary records to insure that maximum repayments are made. Collection and servicing of repayments under this section shall be pursued using the full extent of the law, including wage garnishment if necessary. The board is responsible to forgive all or parts of such repayments under the criteria established in this section and shall maintain all necessary records of forgiven payments.
     (6) Receipts from the payment of principal or interest or any other subsidies to which the board as administrator is entitled, which are paid by or on behalf of participants under this section, shall be deposited in the future teachers conditional scholarship account and shall be used to cover the costs of granting the conditional scholarships, maintaining necessary records, and making collections under subsection (5) of this section. The board shall maintain accurate records of these costs, and all receipts beyond those necessary to pay such costs shall be used to grant conditional scholarships to eligible students.
     (7) The board shall adopt rules to define the terms of repayment, including applicable interest rates, fees, and deferments.

Sec. 8   RCW 28A.660.050 and 2004 c 23 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     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
     (c) To accept grants and donations from public and private sources for the program.
     (2) Participation in the alternative route conditional scholarship program is limited to interns of the partnership grant programs under RCW 28A.660.040. The Washington professional educator standards board shall select interns to receive conditional scholarships.
     (3) In order to receive conditional scholarship awards, recipients shall be accepted and maintain enrollment in alternative certification routes through the partnership grant program, as provided in RCW 28A.660.040. Recipients must continue to make satisfactory progress towards completion of the alternative route certification program and receipt of a residency teaching certificate.
     (4) For the purpose of this chapter, a conditional scholarship is a loan that is forgiven in whole or in part 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) Beginning July 1, 2006, the board shall increase the number of conditional scholarships awarded to eligible participants who intend to teach secondary mathematics or science by thirty more than the number awarded to prospective secondary mathematics or science teachers for the 2005-06 academic year. Participants who teach mathematics or science shall have one year of loan canceled for each year they teach in a district with a documented shortage of mathematics or science teachers.
     (7) To the extent funds are appropriated for this specific purpose, the annual amount of the scholarship is the annual cost of tuition; fees; and educational expenses, including books, supplies, and transportation for the alternative route certification program in which the recipient is enrolled, not to exceed eight thousand dollars. The board may adjust the annual award by the average rate of resident undergraduate tuition and fee increases at the state universities as defined in RCW 28B.10.016.
     (((7))) (8) 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.

Sec. 9   RCW 43.79A.040 and 2005 c 424 s 18, 2005 c 402 s 8, 2005 c 215 s 10, and 2005 c 16 s 2 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) Money in the treasurer's trust fund may be deposited, invested, and reinvested by the state treasurer in accordance with RCW 43.84.080 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the money were in the state treasury.
     (2) All income received from investment of the treasurer's trust fund shall be set aside in an account in the treasury trust fund to be known as the investment income account.
     (3) The investment income account may be utilized for the payment of purchased banking services on behalf of treasurer's trust funds including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and disbursement functions for the state treasurer or affected state agencies. The investment income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to financial institutions. Payments shall occur prior to distribution of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.
     (4)(a) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings credited to the investment income account to the state general fund except under (b) and (c) of this subsection.
     (b) The following accounts and funds shall receive their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance for the period: The Washington promise scholarship account, the college savings program account, the Washington advanced college tuition payment program account, the agricultural local fund, the American Indian scholarship endowment fund, the foster care scholarship endowment fund, the foster care endowed scholarship trust fund, the students with dependents grant account, the basic health plan self-insurance reserve account, the contract harvesting revolving account, the Washington state combined fund drive account, the commemorative works account, the Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund, the developmental disabilities endowment trust fund, the energy account, the fair fund, the fruit and vegetable inspection account, the future teachers conditional scholarship account, the game farm alternative account, the grain inspection revolving fund, the juvenile accountability incentive account, the law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' plan 2 expense fund, the local tourism promotion account, the produce railcar pool account, the rural rehabilitation account, the stadium and exhibition center account, the youth athletic facility account, the self-insurance revolving fund, the sulfur dioxide abatement account, the children's trust fund, the Washington horse racing commission Washington bred owners' bonus fund account, the Washington horse racing commission class C purse fund account, the individual development account program account, the Washington horse racing commission operating account (earnings from the Washington horse racing commission operating account must be credited to the Washington horse racing commission class C purse fund account), the Washington teach math-science professional development account, and the life sciences discovery fund. However, the earnings to be distributed shall first be reduced by the allocation to the state treasurer's service fund pursuant to RCW 43.08.190.
     (c) The following accounts and funds shall receive eighty percent of their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance for the period: The advanced right of way revolving fund, the advanced environmental mitigation revolving account, the city and county advance right-of-way revolving fund, the federal narcotics asset forfeitures account, the high occupancy vehicle account, the local rail service assistance account, and the miscellaneous transportation programs account.
     (5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state Constitution, no trust accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings without the specific affirmative directive of this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   Sections 1 through 4 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2006, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.