BILL REQ. #:  S-1012.1 

Read first time 01/31/2005.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to verification of educational credits used for certificated employee salary increases; adding a new section to chapter 28A.415 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28A.415 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall verify that credits earned by certificated staff, that are used to increase earnings on the salary schedule consistent with RCW 28A.415.023, are obtained from an educational institution accredited by an accrediting association recognized by rule of the higher education coordinating board.
     (2) No salary increase may be approved before there has been verification of accreditation under subsection (1) of this section.
     (3)(a) Certificated staff who submit credits received from an unaccredited educational institution for the purposes of receiving a salary increase shall be fined three hundred dollars. The fine shall be paid to the office of the superintendent of public instruction and used for costs of administering this section.
     (b) In addition to the fine in (a) of this subsection, certificated staff who receive salary increases based upon credits earned from educational institutions that have been verified to be unaccredited must reimburse the district for any compensation received based on these credits.