Brief Description: Granting service credit to educational staff associates for nonschool employment.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives P. Sullivan, Upthegrove, Simpson, Hunter, Moeller, Linville, Schual-Berke and Santos).

House Committee on Education
House Committee on Appropriations
Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education
Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

Certificated instructional staff in public schools include both teachers and other professionals called educational staff associates (ESAs) who meet certification requirements adopted by the Professional Educator Standards Board. The ESAs include: occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, nurses, social workers, counselors, and psychologists.

Funding for all certificated instructional staff salaries is based on a state salary allocation schedule that is implemented in the state's biennial operating budget.

This schedule takes into account years of service and educational background. However, the years of service determination only applies to service in schools but not to service in other non-school positions, such as work in a hospital, physician's office, or counseling center.

Summary:

Beginning in the 2007-08 school year, the state salary allocation schedule for certificated instructional staff will recognize up to two years of professional experience obtained by educational staff associates (ESAs) outside of a school setting.

Each year of service outside of the school system counts as one year of school service on the state salary allocation schedule. Non-school years of service do not count towards retirement benefits or other state benefits.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   89   9
Senate   49   0   (Senate amended)
House         (House refused to concur)
Senate         (Senate refused to recede)
House   98   0   (House concurred)

Effective: July 22, 2007