Brief Description: Creating educational opportunities.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators McAuliffe, Hobbs, Weinstein, Kauffman, Eide, Tom, Rasmussen, Kohl-Welles, Murray, Shin, Marr, Oemig, Kilmer and Delvin).

Hearing Date: 3/20/07

Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).

Background:

The Washington Learns comprehensive education study, chaired by Governor Gregoire, issued final recommendations in November 2006. The Governor proposes implementation of a number of the recommendations regarding mathematics and science education through her proposed budget for the 2007-09 biennium and proposed legislation.

Instructional Coaches. One recommendation was to create training programs for mentors and instructional coaches who would teach alongside classroom teachers to provide encouragement, ideas, feedback, and examples related to effective practice. The report recommended that an initial focus be on mathematics coaching.

The Legislature currently supports mathematics coaches through the Math Helping Corps (MHC), which provides assistance to schools with low student performance in mathematics. The 13 MHC facilitators are employed by the SPI and are typically assigned to work directly in one school. They spend the rest of their time providing training and assistance to other teachers in the region.

Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification. There are several alternative routes for individuals to earn a teaching certificate other than completing a traditional teacher preparation program. Alternative route programs must be approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB). Route One is designed for paraeducators with an associate's degree seeking certification in special education or English as a Second Language (ESL). Subject to funding, alternative route candidates are eligible for conditional scholarships of up to $8,000 per year, with the condition of two years of school service for every year of scholarship.

The PESB has also adopted pathways for currently certificated teachers to add a subject area endorsement. One of these pathways allows the teacher to pass the state subject area assessment (Praxis II) and have their instructional performance in that subject evaluated by a college or university teacher preparation program. Some teachers may need to take additional coursework to pass the assessment. One of the Washington Learns report recommendations was to expand the alternative route programs to prepare more mathematics and science teachers.

Mathematics, Science, and Technology. Another of the Washington Learns recommendations was to encourage public-private partnerships and initiatives to get students excited about mathematics and science. Examples include the Washington Aerospace Scholars Program with the Museum of Flight, the Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) Program with Battelle and the Pacific Science Center, Project Lead the Way with the American Electronics Association, and the Washington State Science and Engineering Fair.

There are no Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs) or Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) expressly for technology. However, the SPI has adopted the National Educational Technology Standards and has developed definitions of technology literacy and technology fluency in the State Educational Technology Plan.

Enhanced state funding for students enrolled in approved career and technical education (CTE) programs is provided only for programs in high schools and not in middle schools.

Summary of Bill:

Instructional Coaches. A mathematics and science instructional coach demonstration project is created. The project includes a coaching institute, coaching support seminars, and additional coach development services. In developing the project the SPI must draw upon research and the experiences of coaches in other programs.

Participating schools and districts select the individuals to perform the role of coach, based on characteristics of a successful coach. The coach's role is to support teachers as they apply knowledge, develop skills, polish techniques, and deepen their understanding of content and instructional practices. Each coach is assigned to two schools.

Project participants ensure that coaches participate in the coach development institute and support seminars, practice coaching activities according to their defined role, collect data, and participate in program evaluation activities.

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy evaluates the project. An interim report is due November 1, 2008, with a final report due December 1, 2009.

Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification. Two new alternative routes to teacher certification are created. The Pipeline for Paraeducators program is for individuals with at least three years of classroom experience but without a college degree. A conditional scholarship of up to $4,000 per year for no more than two years is provided for candidates to enroll in an associate degree program. Upon completion of the program, the candidate is eligible to enroll in a Route One alternative route program to obtain a mathematics, special education, or English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching certificate.

The Retooling to Teach Mathematics and Science Program is for current teachers and individuals who are not employed as teachers, but who have an elementary teaching certificate. A conditional scholarship of up to $3,000 per year is provided for these individuals to pursue a middle level or secondary mathematics or science endorsement through one of the PESB's pathways to endorsement.

Mathematics, Science, and Technology (MST). Within funds appropriated for this purpose, middle schools approved to provide CTE programs or hands-on experiences in mathematics and science integrated with exploratory CTE programs receive enhanced funding through state apportionment formulas.

A statewide director for MST is created to conduct outreach to attract middle and high school students to careers in math, science, or technology and to educate students about the course work necessary to be adequately prepared to succeed in these fields. The director also develops public-private partnerships to promote scholarships and professional development opportunities for teachers; coordinates youth opportunities and participation in clubs, fairs, and competitions; and provides technical assistance to schools.

Within funds appropriated for these purposes, OSPI:

1.   Obtains a statewide license or otherwise obtains and disseminates an interactive, project-based high school and middle school technology curriculum. The curriculum must be distributed to all school districts, or as many as feasible, by the 2007-08 school year;

2.   Supports an ongoing, inquiry-based science program that is based on research and aligned with the science GLEs;

3.   Supports a public-private partnership to provide enriching opportunities in mathematics, engineering, and science for under-represented students;

4.   Develops EALRs and GLEs for educational technology literacy and fluency; and

5.   Obtains or develops classroom based assessments for educational technology, which must be available for voluntary use by school districts by the 2010-11 school year. The assessments must be able to be administered and scored by school staff using consistent scoring criteria. If a school district uses a technology assessment, they must notify the SPI, and the SPI will report to the Legislature on the number of districts using the assessments.

The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) is directed to assess the need for additional baccalaureate programs that specialize in teacher preparation in MST.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on March 15, 2007.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.