2SSB 5955

HOUSE BILL REPORT
2SSB 5955

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Passed House - Amended:
April 9, 2007

Title: An act relating to educator preparation, professional development, and compensation.

Brief Description: Regarding educator preparation, professional development, and compensation.

Sponsors: By Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Tom, McAuliffe, Kauffman, Oemig, Kilmer, Eide, Kohl-Welles and Rasmussen).

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Quall, Chair; Barlow, Vice Chair; Priest, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Haigh, McDermott, Roach, Santos and P. Sullivan.

Majority Report: Do pass as amended by Committee on Education. Signed by 33 members: Representatives Sommers, Chair; Dunshee, Vice Chair; Alexander, Ranking Minority Member; Bailey, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Haler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Buri, Chandler, Cody, Conway, Darneille, Dunn, Ericks, Fromhold, Grant, Haigh, Hinkle, Hunt, Hunter, Kagi, Kenney, Kessler, Kretz, Linville, McDermott, McDonald, McIntire, Morrell, Pettigrew, Priest, Schual-Berke, Seaquist and P. Sullivan.

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 educator preparation, professional development, and compensation through her proposed budget for the 2007-09 biennium and proposed legislation.

School and District Leadership. There are two state-supported programs for training and mentoring school administrators. The Education Leadership Internship Program provides funds for release time for individuals to obtain some of the field experience required to complete a principal, program administrator, or superintendent certification program. The Principal Support Program provides new principals with skill assessment, development of a professional growth plan, and mentoring. The Principal Support Program is operated under contract with the Association of Washington School Principals.

Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB). The PESB is a 20-member board responsible for establishing requirements for state certification of educators and approving educator preparation and certification programs. Within five years of receiving an initial or residency teaching certificate, teachers must enroll in a program to earn a professional certificate. Professional certification programs are performance-based and include a pre-assessment seminar, a professional growth team and plan, and a culminating seminar. Reviews of the programs have found variation in their requirements, cost, and accessibility to candidates.

Professional Development. Professional development for teachers is offered by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Educational Service Districts (ESDs), and local school districts. Much of the professional development provided by ESDs is individual courses on a fee-for-service basis. Core funding for ESDs is allocated to support administration and facilities; curriculum, personnel, and learning resource services; and special needs of local education agencies. The remainder of ESD's budgets comes from special programs, fee-for-service, and charges for cooperative services provided under agreement with school districts.

Recruiting Diverse Teachers. According to the PESB, approximately 93 percent of teachers are Caucasian, compared to 74 percent of students. One of the findings of a comprehensive review by the PESB of the state's teacher preparation system was a lack of a strategic recruitment approach to increasing diversity among educators.

Summary of Amended Bill:

School and District Leadership. A public-private partnership is established to develop, pilot, and implement the Washington State Leadership Academy (Academy). Academy partners include the superintendent and principal professional associations, private nonprofit foundations, the OSPI, the PESB, the ESDs, and others. The partners must establish a board of directors and designate an independent organization to act as fiscal agent for the Academy. The Academy will be supported by a national research institution with expertise in educational leadership. Initial development of course content and activities must be supported by private funds.

The Academy board must report semi-annually to the OSPI on the financial contributions provided to the Academy, and must report by December 31 of each year on the programs, participants, evaluations, and plans for future development of the Academy.

Professional Educator Standards Board. The PESB must take certain steps to develop quality teaching knowledge and skills in the state's teaching ranks:

(1)   By December 2007: (a) adopt new standards that prepare all individuals seeking a residency teaching certificate to integrate mathematics across all content areas of instruction; and (b) adopt new residency certification requirements for elementary teachers and middle level and secondary mathematics teachers.

(2)   By June 2009: (a) set standards for and develop, pilot, and implement a uniform and externally administered professional-level certification assessment based on demonstrated teaching skill; and (b) review and revise the approval standards for teacher preparation programs to reflect a knowledge and skill-based performance system.

(3)   By December 2009: review and revise teacher preparation standards to focus on diversity in cultural knowledge and respect.

Professional Development. A comprehensive initiative is created to improve mathematics, science, and targeted secondary reading education and achievement through educator professional development and support.

The OSPI creates a partnership with the ESDs to develop and deliver professional development opportunities, and the partners enter into performance agreements to clearly articulate responsibilities. The OSPI and the ESDs develop a methodology for distributing resources under the initiative. Guidelines and a common reporting format for collecting data and outcomes are developed, including common diagnostic assessments for monitoring student achievement. Roles and responsibilities of the ESDs under the initiative are outlined, and professional development services identified in statute or the Operating Budget become part of the ESD core funding.

The Legislature's intent is to provide resources for the initiative through a three-tiered support system for a four-year period. Tier I is initiative grants where districts can apply on competitive basis and demonstrate how other resources from the district and public-private partnerships will be used to leverage the grant funds. Tier II is improvement agreements where school districts can work with the OSPI and the ESDs to plan, develop, and implement an improvement initiative tailored to the needs of the district. Tier III offers intensive intervention and support to schools and districts identified by the OSPI with low performance in mathematics and science. Intensive intervention includes an audit of the instructional delivery system, development of an intervention plan, and professional development using a technical assistance team, experienced facilitator, and coaches.

All recipients of resources under the initiative must identify measurable outcomes from the activities and report results, including student achievement data from designated diagnostic assessments.

Recruiting Diverse Teachers. The Recruiting Diverse Washington Teachers (RDWT) Program is created, to be administered by the PESB. The RDWT provides targeted recruitment of diverse high school students, especially multilingual, multicultural students, to encourage them to consider becoming future teachers in mathematics, science, bilingual education, special education, and English as a second language. The RDWTs include a curriculum, academic and community support, and future teacher camps held on college campuses.

The PESB develops the curriculum guidelines in consultation with an advisory group. If funding is made available, the PESB allocates grant funds to design and deliver RDWT programs. The PESB must also conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of current strategies and programs for recruiting diverse and multilingual, multicultural teachers in Washington and in other states. A minority teacher recruitment program enacted in 1989 is repealed.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: (Education)

(In support) The key point of this legislation is to establish a firm foundation for the development of classroom teachers, principals, and district leaders. The state has a strong interest in supporting individuals in their professional development. The regional structure of the ESDs needs to be better and more fully utilized to achieve these interests. It is a change to be so specific regarding mathematics and science professional development, but it is clear that this focus is needed. Again, it is in the state's interest to provide this specificity. The ESDs stand ready to fulfill the partnership with the OSPI and to be accountable for creating a uniform delivery system that recognizes the context of differing districts. The PESB is working already on the assigned responsibilities, and has already approved a revised set of mathematics standards for educator preparation.

Stipends for the NBPTS teachers are strongly supported, and the approach of indexing the amounts to inflation is preferred, as is the lack of any limitation in the number of teachers who could qualify. If the NBPTS bonus were based on a percentage of pay as originally proposed, the relative value of the bonus would be the same regardless of the years of experience of the teacher. Proposals to recruit and attract new teachers are supported, particularly for diverse and bilingual teachers. The Leadership Academy is strongly supported and has already received interest from private foundations. Various aspects of the legislation that are already moving forward. The Washington Association of School Business Officers should be added as a partner in the Leadership Academy.

(In support with concerns) The specific direction of professional development funds is of concern, particularly the exclusive focus on mathematics and science even if schools and districts have established additional priorities. It is a good intention to target the NBPTS stipends at high needs schools, but all teachers in those schools should be rewarded. Stipends should be included as part of pension calculations. There is concern that a flat bonus amount is almost a disincentive for senior teachers to pursue certification.

(With concerns) "Institutions of higher education" as partners in the Leadership Academy are not clearly defined. The concern with an external assessment for the professional certificate is that it is not clear how a single test can credibly assess a wide range of knowledge and skills.

(Opposed) None.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: (Appropriations)

(In support) These are crucial issues. The Leadership academies are an important step to providing high level professional development to administrators. The professional development initiative involving the Educational Service Districts is important as well.

The Washington Education Association supports the work of the Professional Educators Standards Boards in developing new requirements for teachers in the area of math. However, we are concerned that professional development is focused exclusively on math and science in this bill. More high quality professional development is needed in all content areas.

The Recruiting Diverse Teachers Program represents an important step forward in how we address teacher shortages. We need more teachers of color in our system so that our teacher workforce reflects the diversity of the students they teach.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: (Education) (In support) Nasue Nishida, Professional Educator Standards Board; Mitch Denning, Alliance of Education Associations; Barbara Mertens, Washington Association of School Administrators; Judy Hartmann, Governor's Policy Office; and Bill Keim, Educational School District 113.

(In support with concerns) Lucinda Young, Washington Education Association; and Jennifer Priddy, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(With concerns) Bob Cooper, Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

Persons Testifying: (Appropriations) Lucinda Young, Washington Education Association; and Nasue Nishida.