2SHB 2262

SENATE BILL REPORT
2SHB 2262

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 Reported By Senate Committee On:
Early Learning & K-12 Education, March 29, 2007
Ways & Means, April 2, 2007

Title: An act relating to salary bonuses for individuals certified by the national board for professional teaching standards.

Brief Description: Providing salary bonuses for individuals certified by the national board for professional teaching standards.

Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Barlow, McCoy, Hunter, Seaquist, Eddy, Fromhold, Ormsby, Sells and Morrell).

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 3/29/07 [DPA-WM, w/oRec].

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

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.Signed by Senators Holmquist, Ranking Minority Member and Zarelli.

Majority Report: Do pass as amended by Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Fraser, Vice Chair, Capital Budget Chair; Pridemore, Vice Chair, Operating Budget; Brandland, Carrell, Fairley, Hatfield, Hobbs, Honeyford, Keiser, Kohl-Welles, Oemig, Parlette, Rasmussen, Regala, Roach, Rockefeller, Schoesler and Tom.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.Signed by Senator Zarelli, Ranking Minority Member.

Background: The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is a national, nonprofit organization that has developed standards for teaching and a voluntary system to certify teachers who meet those standards. There are also NBPTS certificates for librarians and school counselors. In Washington, instructional staff can use NBPTS certification in lieu of a professional certificate. Funding is provided through federal and private sources to assist candidates with the application fee. Since 1999, state funding has been provided through the appropriations act for a bonus for NBPTS-certified staff. The 2005-07 biennial budget provides an annual bonus of $3,500. As of January 2007, there were 1,310 NBPTS-certified instructional staff in Washington.

Summary of Second Substitute Bill: Three NBPTS certification bonuses are established in statute. Instructional staff with NBPTS certification receive a bonus for each year they maintain the certification. The amount of the bonus is $5,250 for fiscal year 2008 and $5,400 for fiscal year 2009. Thereafter, the amount is established in the operating budget, except the amount may be prorated if more than 5 percent of the eligible instructional staff in the state receive certification and the resulting cost of providing bonuses exceeds the legislative appropriation for them.

The NBPTS-certified staff who meet certain criteria are eligible for additional bonuses:
1) individuals in an instructional assignment in a school where at least 70 percent of the students qualify for federal free and reduced lunch receive an additional $5,000 bonus; or
2) individuals with NBPTS certification in middle level or high school mathematics or science who are in a math or science instructional assignment in a school where at least 70 percent of the students qualify for federal free and reduced lunch receive an additional $10,000 bonus.

Bonuses are in addition to other compensation and not included in state salary limitations for certified instructional staff, nor as earnable compensation for retirement purposes.

EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY RECOMMENDED STRIKING AMENDMENT(S) AS PASSED COMMITTEE (Early Learning & K-12 Education): The amount of the annual bonus for national board certification is changed to $5,000 and in subsequent years will increase with inflation. The cap on the eligible individuals who can receive the bonus is removed. The additional bonus for individuals teaching in a high poverty school and teaching math or science is removed.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Early Learning & K-12 Education): PRO: It is important to set a policy in Washington that acknowledges the importance of quality teaching and we need to have a way to reward them. These individuals sacrifice a lot in their personal and professional life to obtain this rigorous certification. There are only about 2 percent of the teachers who currently seek this certification so there is room under the cap set in the bill, but if the cap is met, then the legislature can readdress it.

OTHER: We support an annual national board certification bonus but we have concerns with the cap imposed and a bonus for only specified subjects. The cap is an arbitrary limit on the number of teachers who could receive the bonus and acts to decrease the incentive that the bonus provides. The bonus should be included for retirement purposes because it is not a one time award but is annually for the life of the 10-year certificate and has a rigorous renewal process. The Legislature should fully fund basic education first.

Persons Testifying (Early Learning & K-12 Education): PRO: Representative McCoy; Judy Hartmann, Governor's Policy Office.

OTHER: Lucinda Young, Washington Education Association; Bob Cooper, Washington Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; Mitch Denning, Alliance of Education Associations; Kyra Kester, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.