Title: An act relating to enhancing world language instruction in public schools.

Brief Description: Enhancing public school world language instruction.

Sponsors: Representatives Schual-Berke, Priest, McDermott, Anderson, Quall, Kenney, Roberts, Lantz, Kagi, Moeller, Santos, Hunt and Hudgins.

Brief History: Passed House: 3/08/07, 61-35.

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 3/19/07, 3/26/07 [DPA-WM].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION

Majority Report: Do pass as amended and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Tom, Vice Chair; Holmquist, Ranking Minority Member; Brandland, Clements, Eide, Hewitt, Hobbs, Kauffman, Oemig and Rasmussen.

Staff: Susan Mielke (786-7422)

Background: Currently, there is no requirement for school districts to provide instruction in languages other than English in elementary schools. Under the State Board of Education graduation requirements, high school students must have at least five and one-half elective credits to graduate; the study of a world language other than English or the study of a world culture may satisfy any or all of the elective requirements. In order to enter a public four-year college or university in Washington, a student must have at least two years of a single foreign language; Native American languages and American Sign Language will satisfy these requirements.

Washington's Essential Academic Learning Requirements do not cover world languages. However, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has endorsed, for voluntary use, standards for world language instruction adopted by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. The OSPI does not currently have a staff position dedicated to world languages. There are different instructional models for teaching young students a second language. The dual language enrichment model provides instruction for all students in two languages. In Washington, at least 21 schools operate a dual language program. Nearly all programs are in Spanish and English. The John Stanford International Elementary School in Seattle offers dual language programs in both Spanish and Japanese.

Summary of Bill: The OSPI must assign at least one full-time staff as the world language supervisor. The supervisor's duties are to:

• develop and conduct professional development for teachers, and implement memoranda of understanding with foreign ministries of education to assist visiting teachers;
• provide technical assistance to schools;
• create a clearinghouse of information and materials for world language instruction and foster articulated curriculum;
• secure and implement grants to enhance world language programs;
• establish and maintain a database on course offerings in public schools; and
• serve as an education liaison and advisor.

Subject to funding, the OSPI will allocate competitive grants for pilot projects to enhance world language instruction in elementary and middle schools. At least one of the pilots must implement a dual language enrichment program using a major Asian language and English as the dual languages; and at least one of the pilots must implement a technology-enhanced instructional model using a major Asian language. The OSPI must evaluate the pilot projects and report findings to the legislative education committees after the end of the grant period.

EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY RECOMMENDED STRIKING AMENDMENT(S) AS PASSED COMMITTEE (Early Learning & K-12 Education): A pilot program for two school districts to provide, sequentially, articulated Spanish and Chinese language instruction in elementary schools is created. A timeline is provided for applying for and awarding the pilots. Participating school districts may use current law to employ people of unusual competence, but without teacher certification, to provide the language instruction under the general supervision of a certificated staff person. The OSPI must provide an annual report for the life of the program, including whether the pilot should be continued, expanded, or modified. The act expires in July 2009.

The world language supervisor created in the original bill within the OSPI is deleted. The competitive grant program and evaluation for pilot projects in world language instruction at the elementary and middle school levels are deleted.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: Washington is such a trade dependent state, and our students would benefit and be better prepared to participate in the global economy if we could better support world language programs and re-establish a world language supervisor at OSPI. We need this leadership at the state-level. The supervisor could collect information at the state-level on language programs and enrollment numbers; this would help people find the programs that are of interest to them. The supervisor could coordinate the efforts of programs to increase efficiency and decrease duplication. Several states have state standards for world languages, which is not true in Washington. When you study another language, you also learn and understand the differences of others.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Representative Schual-Berke, prime sponsor; Lauren Kiolet, Lyn Klausenburger, Washington Association for Language Teaching; Donna Christensen, Coalition for Gifted Education; Angela Lewis, teacher, parent, citizen.