HB 3068 -
By Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 28A.660.042 and 2007 c 396 s 6 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The pipeline for paraeducators conditional scholarship program
is created.
(2)(a) Except as provided under subsection (3) of this section,
participation is limited to paraeducators without a college degree who
have at least three years of classroom experience. It is anticipated
that candidates enrolled in this program will complete their associate
of arts degree at a community and technical college in two years or
less and become eligible for a mathematics, special education, or
English as a second language endorsement via route one in the
alternative routes to teacher certification program provided in this
chapter.
(((2))) (b) Entry requirements for candidates under this subsection
(2) include district or building validation of qualifications,
including three years of successful student interaction and leadership
as a classified instructional employee.
(3) Subject to the availability of pipeline for paraeducators
conditional scholarship funds for the program under RCW 28A.660.050
after qualified candidates under subsection (2) of this section have
been accepted, individuals who participated in one of the recruiting
Washington teachers grant programs under RCW 28A.415.370 may
participate in the pipeline for paraeducators conditional scholarship
program if the individual meets the criteria for the scholarship under
RCW 28A.660.050.
Sec. 2 RCW 28A.660.050 and 2009 c 539 s 3 and 2009 c 192 s 2 are
each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for these
purposes, the conditional scholarship programs in this chapter are
created under the following guidelines:
(1) The programs shall be administered by the higher education
coordinating board. In administering the programs, the higher
education coordinating board has the following powers and duties:
(a) To adopt necessary rules and develop guidelines to administer
the programs;
(b) To collect and manage repayments from participants who do not
meet their service obligations; and
(c) To accept grants and donations from public and private sources
for the programs.
(2) Requirements for participation in the conditional scholarship
programs are as provided in this subsection (2).
(a) The alternative route conditional scholarship program is
limited to interns of the partnership grant programs under RCW
28A.660.040. In order to receive conditional scholarship awards,
recipients shall:
(i) Be accepted and maintain enrollment in alternative
certification routes through the partnership grant program;
(ii) Continue to make satisfactory progress toward completion of
the alternative route certification program and receipt of a residency
teaching certificate; and
(iii) Receive no more than the annual amount of the scholarship,
not to exceed eight thousand dollars, for the cost of tuition, fees,
and educational expenses, including books, supplies, and transportation
for the alternative route certification program in which the recipient
is enrolled. The board may adjust the annual award by the average rate
of resident undergraduate tuition and fee increases at the state
universities as defined in RCW 28B.10.016.
(b) The pipeline for paraeducators conditional scholarship program
is limited to qualified ((paraeducators)) individuals as provided by
RCW 28A.660.042. Paraeducators who apply for the program under RCW
28A.660.042(2) shall receive first priority in scholarship awards. In
order to receive conditional scholarship awards, recipients shall:
(i) Be accepted and maintain enrollment at a community and
technical college for no more than two years and attain an associate of
arts degree;
(ii) Continue to make satisfactory progress toward completion of an
associate of arts degree. This progress requirement is a condition for
eligibility into a route one program of the alternative routes to
teacher certification program for a mathematics, special education, or
English as a second language endorsement; and
(iii) Receive no more than the annual amount of the scholarship,
not to exceed four thousand dollars, for the cost of tuition, fees, and
educational expenses, including books, supplies, and transportation for
the alternative route certification program in which the recipient is
enrolled. The board may adjust the annual award by the average rate of
tuition and fee increases at the state community and technical
colleges.
(c) The retooling to teach mathematics and science conditional
scholarship program is limited to current K-12 teachers and individuals
having an elementary education certificate but who are not employed in
positions requiring an elementary education certificate as provided by
RCW 28A.660.045. In order to receive conditional scholarship awards:
(i) Individuals currently employed as teachers shall pursue a
middle level mathematics or science, or secondary mathematics or
science endorsement; or
(ii) Individuals who are certificated with an elementary education
endorsement, but not employed in positions requiring an elementary
education certificate, shall pursue an endorsement in middle level
mathematics or science, or both; and
(iii) Individuals shall use one of the pathways to endorsement
processes to receive a mathematics or science endorsement, or both,
which shall include passing a mathematics or science endorsement test,
or both tests, plus observation and completing applicable coursework to
attain the proper endorsement; and
(iv) Individuals shall receive no more than the annual amount of
the scholarship, not to exceed three thousand dollars, for the cost of
tuition, test fees, and educational expenses, including books,
supplies, and transportation for the endorsement pathway being pursued.
(3) The Washington professional educator standards board shall
select individuals to receive conditional scholarships. In selecting
recipients, preference shall be given to eligible veterans or national
guard members.
(4) For the purpose of this chapter, a conditional scholarship is
a loan that is forgiven in whole or in part in exchange for service as
a certificated teacher employed in a Washington state K-12 public
school. The state shall forgive one year of loan obligation for every
two years a recipient teaches in a public school. Recipients who fail
to continue a course of study leading to residency teacher
certification or cease to teach in a public school in the state of
Washington in their endorsement area are required to repay the
remaining loan principal with interest.
(5) Recipients who fail to fulfill the required teaching obligation
are required to repay the remaining loan principal with interest and
any other applicable fees. The higher education coordinating board
shall adopt rules to define the terms for repayment, including
applicable interest rates, fees, and deferments.
(6) The higher education coordinating board may deposit all
appropriations, collections, and any other funds received for the
program in this chapter in the future teachers conditional scholarship
account authorized in RCW 28B.102.080.
Sec. 3 RCW 28A.660.040 and 2009 c 192 s 1 and 2009 c 166 s 1 are
each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
Partnership grants funded under this chapter shall operate one to
four specific route programs. Successful completion of the program
shall make a candidate eligible for residency teacher certification.
For route one and two candidates, the mentor of the teacher candidate
at the school and the supervisor of the teacher candidate from the
higher education teacher preparation program must both agree that the
teacher candidate has successfully completed the program. For route
three and four candidates, the mentor of the teacher candidate shall
make the determination that the candidate has successfully completed
the program.
(1) Partnership grant programs seeking funds to operate route one
programs shall enroll currently employed classified instructional
employees with transferable associate degrees or former participants in
the recruiting Washington teachers program who enter through the
pipeline for paraeducators conditional scholarship program under RCW
28A.660.042 who are seeking residency teacher certification with
endorsements in mathematics, special education, bilingual education, or
English as a second language. It is anticipated that candidates
enrolled in this route will complete both their baccalaureate degree
and requirements for residency certification in two years or less,
including a mentored internship to be completed in the final year. In
addition, partnership programs shall uphold entry requirements for
candidates that include:
(a) District or building validation of qualifications, including
one year of successful student interaction and leadership as a
classified instructional employee;
(b) Successful passage of the statewide basic skills exam, when
available; and
(c) Meeting the age, good moral character, and personal fitness
requirements adopted by rule for teachers.
(2) Partnership grant programs seeking funds to operate route two
programs shall enroll currently employed classified staff with
baccalaureate degrees seeking residency teacher certification in
subject matter shortage areas and areas with shortages due to
geographic location. Candidates enrolled in this route must complete
a mentored internship complemented by flexibly scheduled training and
coursework offered at a local site, such as a school or educational
service district, or online or via video-conference over the K-20
network, in collaboration with the partnership program's higher
education partner. In addition, partnership grant programs shall
uphold entry requirements for candidates that include:
(a) District or building validation of qualifications, including
one year of successful student interaction and leadership as classified
staff;
(b) A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution
of higher education. The individual's college or university grade
point average may be considered as a selection factor;
(c) Successful completion of the content test, once the state
content test is available;
(d) Meeting the age, good moral character, and personal fitness
requirements adopted by rule for teachers; and
(e) Successful passage of the statewide basic skills exam, when
available.
(3) Partnership grant programs seeking funds to operate route three
programs shall enroll individuals with baccalaureate degrees, who are
not employed in the district at the time of application. When
selecting candidates for certification through route three, districts
shall give priority to individuals who are seeking residency teacher
certification in subject matter shortage areas or shortages due to
geographic locations. For route three only, the districts may include
additional candidates in nonshortage subject areas if the candidates
are seeking endorsements with a secondary grade level designation as
defined by rule by the professional educator standards board. The
districts shall disclose to candidates in nonshortage subject areas
available information on the demand in those subject areas. Cohorts of
candidates for this route shall attend an intensive summer teaching
academy, followed by a full year employed by a district in a mentored
internship, followed, if necessary, by a second summer teaching
academy. In addition, partnership programs shall uphold entry
requirements for candidates that include:
(a) A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution
of higher education. The individual's grade point average may be
considered as a selection factor;
(b) Successful completion of the content test, once the state
content test is available;
(c) External validation of qualifications, including demonstrated
successful experience with students or children, such as reference
letters and letters of support from previous employers;
(d) Meeting the age, good moral character, and personal fitness
requirements adopted by rule for teachers; and
(e) Successful passage of statewide basic skills exams, when
available.
(4) Partnership grant programs seeking funds to operate route four
programs shall enroll individuals with baccalaureate degrees, who are
employed in the district at the time of application, or who hold
conditional teaching certificates or emergency substitute certificates.
Cohorts of candidates for this route shall attend an intensive summer
teaching academy, followed by a full year employed by a district in a
mentored internship. In addition, partnership programs shall uphold
entry requirements for candidates that include:
(a) A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution
of higher education. The individual's grade point average may be
considered as a selection factor;
(b) Successful completion of the content test, once the state
content test is available;
(c) External validation of qualifications, including demonstrated
successful experience with students or children, such as reference
letters and letters of support from previous employers;
(d) Meeting the age, good moral character, and personal fitness
requirements adopted by rule for teachers; and
(e) Successful passage of statewide basic skills exams, when
available.
(5) Applicants for alternative route programs who are eligible
veterans or national guard members and who meet the entry requirements
for the alternative route program for which application is made shall
be given preference in admission."
HB 3068 -
By Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "program;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 28A.660.042; and reenacting and amending RCW 28A.660.050 and 28A.660.040."
EFFECT: Clarifies that the Recruiting Washington Teachers participants must meet the qualifications for the Pipeline for Paraeducators conditional scholarship and that only the Pipeline for Paraeducators conditional scholarships will be available for the Recruiting Washington Teachers participants and not all of the conditional scholarships in RCW 28A.660.050.