FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1156

C 192 L 09

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Creating a preference in the alternative route certification program for veterans and national guard members.

Sponsors: Representatives Anderson, Sullivan, Priest, Haigh, Quall, Dammeier, McCune, Wallace, Kelley and Herrera.

House Committee on Education

Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education

Background:

Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification.

School districts, or districts in cooperation with an educational service district, operate partnerships with one or more higher education teacher preparation programs to provide performance-based alternative routes aimed at recruiting candidates to teach in subject matter and geographic shortage areas. Each district or consortia must apply to the Public Educator Standards Board (PESB) for approval of the alternative route program or programs they want to offer, identify the approved teacher preparation program with which they are partnering and provide assurances with respect to the mentoring which will be provided. The PESB, with support from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, selects school districts and consortia of districts to receive statewide partnership grant funds to provide one or more of the alternative route programs.

The first four of these programs are known as Routes One, Two, Three, and Four:

• Route One is designed for classified employees with associate's degrees and three years work experience in Washington schools seeking certification in special education or English as a Second Language (ESL). It is anticipated that candidates earn bachelor's degrees and certification in two years or less.

• Route Two is designed for classified employees with bachelor's degrees and three years experience in Washington schools seeking certification in a subject matter or geographic shortage area. It is anticipated that candidates earn certification in one year or less.

• Route Three is designed for individuals with bachelor's degrees, subject matter expertise in a shortage area, and five years experience in the workforce seeking certification in a subject matter or geographic shortage area. It is anticipated that candidates earn certification in one year or less.

• Route Four is designed for individuals with bachelor's degrees who are currently teaching subjects identified as core academic subjects under the federal No Child Left Behind Act under conditional or emergency substitute certificates. It is anticipated that candidates earn certification in one year or less.

Two other alternative routes to teacher certification were created in 2007:

• The Pipeline for Paraeducators program is for individuals with at least three years of classroom experience but without college degrees. Upon completion of an associate's degree, a candidate is eligible to enroll in a Route One alternative route program to obtain a mathematics, special education, or 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 elementary teaching certificates. These individuals pursue a middle level or secondary mathematics or science endorsement through one of the PESB's pathways to endorsement. Candidates with elementary teaching certificates who are not employed as teachers may seek only a middle level endorsement.

Conditional Scholarship Programs.

Conditional scholarships loans that are forgiven in whole or in part in exchange for service as a certificated teacher employed in a Washington K-12 public school, are available. The state forgives one year of loan obligation for every two years a recipient teaches in a public school. Recipients who fail to complete the program or cease to teach in a public school are required to repay the remaining loan principal with interest and any applicable fees.

The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) administers the conditional scholarships applicable to the alternative route programs. The PESB selects the scholarship recipients.

Summary:

Applicants for alternative route programs who are eligible veterans or National Guard members, and who otherwise meet the entry requirements for the program for which application is made, are given preference in admission and for scholarships.

For purposes of the preference eligible veteran or National Guard member is defined as a Washington domiciliary who was an active or reserve member of the United States military or naval forces, or a National Guard member called to active duty, who served in active federal service, in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Reserve, or National Guard in a war or conflict fought on foreign soil or in international waters or in another location in support of those serving on foreign soil or in international waters. If discharged from service, the person must have received an honorable discharge.

Votes on Final Passage: