Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

Requires all teacher preparation programs to administer a new evidence-based assessment of teaching effectiveness to all preservice candidates beginning in 2011-12.
Directs the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to revise program approval standards and accept proposals that may include community and technical college or non-higher education program providers.
Directs the PESB to transition the alternative routes to certification programs from a separate competitive grant to a preparation program model that can be expanded to additional providers.
Requires all public colleges of education that offer residency certification to submit a proposal to offer an alternative route program.
Directs Educational Service Districts to convene school districts and colleges of education in their region to review educator workforce data and recruitment and enrollment plans.
Requires the Higher Education Coordinating Board to establish service regions for teacher preparation programs to assure access within the region.
Directs the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to select up to three community colleges to offer a bachelor's degree with a residency teaching certificate in a subject matter shortage area.

Background:

The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) is the state agency charged with establishing qualifications for educator certification, including approval of teacher and administrator preparation programs offered by colleges and universities.

Preservice Performance Assessment.

Candidates for a residency teaching certificate are evaluated during their student teaching using a performance-based assessment developed by the colleges of education. Since 2003 the PESB has required all colleges to use a common instrument and scoring rubric, but there are concerns about the lack of reliability and validity of the assessment.

In 2009 the Legislature directed the PESB to submit a proposal for a uniform, statewide, valid, and reliable means of assessing candidate performance before granting a teaching certificate. The assessment must be classroom-based, use multiple measures of teacher performance, and show evidence of impact on student learning.

In April 2009 the PESB joined a multi-state consortium to pilot a preservice performance assessment based on an instrument used in California. The Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) would be aligned with state standards but also yield results that allow comparisons to other states and state reciprocity in certification. According to a timeline proposed by the PESB, a statewide field test could be implemented in 2011-12. Much of the cost of developing the TPA is being provided by grant and foundation funds. The PESB estimates that administration costs might be $300 - $500 per candidate.

Alternative Routes to Certification.

In 2001 the Legislature authorized a partnership grant program where one or more school districts and a college of education could develop and offer a teacher preparation program with certain characteristics:

individualized teacher development plan;
between one-half to one year of intensive mentored internship in the classroom; and
coursework to provide knowledge and skills needed for certification (usually offered during the summer before the internship and/or on evenings and weekends during the school year).

Initially, grant funds were appropriated to partnerships to pay intern and mentor stipends as well as provide conditional scholarships for interns to cover tuition and fees. In 2003 funding was shifted almost entirely to conditional scholarships for interns.

Additional routes have been created over the years to attract different possible candidates. Emphasis has been on recruiting candidates in shortage areas such as special education, English Language Learner instruction, mathematics, and science. The PESB currently oversees the following alternative route programs:

Route One for classified school employees with an associate degree and three years of experience to earn both a bachelor's degree and teaching certification;
Route Two for classified school employees with a bachelor's degree and three years of experience;
Route Three for other individuals with a bachelor's degree and five years of work experience;
Route Four for individuals with a bachelor's degree and five years of work experience who are employed by a school district on a conditional or emergency substitute teaching certificate; and
Pipeline for Paraeducators for non-degreed classified school employees with three years of experience to earn first an associate degree and then qualify for Route One to complete a bachelor's degree and certification.

The alternative route programs are still operated and authorized as a "partnership grant program" even though they do not receive grant funds. There are currently 10 approved programs, none of which are offered by a public four-year institution of higher education. In 2008-09, 125 candidates received a teaching certificate through one of the programs.

In 2007 a program called Retooling to Teach Math and Science was created to offer conditional scholarships for currently employed teachers or unemployed elementary teachers to earn a math or science endorsement.

Community and Technical Colleges and Teacher Preparation.

A study conducted by the PESB in 2008 found that approximately half of new teachers start their postsecondary education in community colleges. Community colleges can offer associate degrees and non-degree certificates approved by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). Three colleges are authorized to offer applied baccalaureate degrees in technical fields on a pilot basis.

Educator Workforce.

There are no coordinated efforts to project demand for teachers on a regional or statewide basis or for the higher education system to use this information in planning for degree programs. The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) is assigned to conduct a needs assessment for teacher preparation in mathematics, science, and technology, but the regular needs assessment process used by the HECB for additional degrees and programs does not specifically include educator workforce data.

Student Teaching Centers.

Legislation enacted in 1991 created networks of student teaching centers through the Educational Service Districts (ESDs) to coordinate student teaching placements in rural communities not served by higher education institutions. Funding for the centers was eliminated in the 2003-05 biennial budget.

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Summary of Substitute Bill:

By September 1, 2010, the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) must review and revise its educator preparation program approval standards and, beginning September 30, 2010, accept proposals for new programs that could include community and technical colleges or non-higher education providers. All approved program providers must adhere to the same standards and comply with the same requirements.

Preservice Performance Assessment.

Approved teacher preparation programs must administer the PESB's evidence-based assessment of teaching effectiveness to all preservice candidates beginning in the 2011-12 school year. Candidates completing programs in the 2012-13 school year and thereafter must pass the assessment for residency certification. The PESB is authorized to contract with a third party for administration of the assessment. If candidates are charged a fee for the assessment, they pay the contractor directly.

Alternative Routes to Certification.

The PESB is directed to transition the alternative route certification program from a separate competitive partnership grant program to a preparation program model that can be expended to additional approved providers. Various adjustments are made to the laws pertaining to these alternative route programs to reflect the shift in emphasis. In fiscal year 2011, priority in conditional scholarships is given to participants in fiscal year 2010.

It is clarified that Route Four candidates can serve as the teacher of record while serving as an intern. Unemployed elementary teachers no longer qualify for the Retooling to Teach Math and Science scholarships.

All public institutions of higher education with residency certificate programs that are not already offering an alternative route program must submit a proposal to the PESB to offer one or more of the programs.

Community and Technical Colleges and Teacher Preparation.

The SBCTC selects up to three community colleges to develop and offer a program of study that leads to a baccalaureate degree with a teaching certificate in a subject matter shortage area. To the extent possible, selected colleges must be geographically dispersed. The SBCTC and the PESB provide technical assistance to the colleges in developing the program and submitting it for approval by the SBCTC, the HECB, and the PESB. The SBCTC and the PESB evaluate the experience of these colleges and submit a report by January 10, 2014, regarding whether additional programs should be authorized.

Educator Workforce.

Educational Service Districts must annually convene school districts and educator preparation programs in their region to review educator workforce data, make projections of certificate needs, and identify how preparation program recruitment and enrollment plans reflect that need.

The needs assessment conducted by the HECB for new degree programs must include data and input from the PESB. The needs assessment regarding teacher preparation is expanded to include any area of regional or subject-matter shortage. The HECB must also establish service regions for public institutions of higher education that offer teacher preparation programs. Based on data from the needs assessments, the HECB determines whether reasonable program access is available in each service region. If access is determined to be inadequate, the responsible higher education institution must submit a plan to the HECB for meeting the need. The regions are to encourage and support, not exclude, the reach of public higher education institutions statewide.

Student Teaching Centers.

Laws establishing student teaching centers in the ESDs are repealed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) The importance of high-quality teachers is not a new issue. This bill not only makes us more competitive for federal dollars, but it continues a path we have already started to improve our teaching workforce. The performance-based assessments of teaching effectiveness are an exciting opportunity. Our colleges and universities are doing a great job of preparing teachers, but it is exciting to open the doors for other high-quality programs that can meet our rigorous standards, including community and technical colleges. The debate about traditional versus alternative routes to teacher preparation is over. There are good and bad examples of each. What really matters is having high standards, sticking to them, and assuring quality in the approval of program providers. Washington is on the cutting edge of identifying measures for teaching effectiveness, both at the professional certificate level and now at the residency certificate level. We hope we can build on the success of our alternative route programs by opening them up to new providers, as well as expanding them into real partnerships with school districts. Washington has some of the strongest alternative route programs in the country. All programs have to meet the same rigorous standards, and so they have a high chance of being successful. All candidates will take the same, rigorous preservice assessment. We really need to examine workforce issues within K-12 just as we do on a statewide basis for other fields. We need to have better alignment of the pipeline to the needs of school districts. Bold changes are needed, and this bill is commended.

(With concerns) All colleges are unanimous in their agreement about the need for rigorous program standards. Texas had the unfortunate experience of being unable to maintain and oversee their programs to keep the quality high; they were the subject of a very negative audit report. We need to make sure that the PEsB has adequate resources to oversee new programs. Resources also need to be provided to the colleges of education if they are being asked to offer alternative route programs. There may be a cost to candidates for the new preservice assessment. There is support for the overall goals, but concern about resources and about the appropriateness of these requirements compared to the mission of a particular higher education institution. The HECB service areas are a concern. Does this mean that an institution of higher education that established partnerships in other parts of the state would be expected to forego those and instead be required to start over in their geographic region? This could negatively affect established teacher preparation programs, which is contrary to the intent of the bill.

(Neutral) Although the bill is intended to make the state more competitive for federal funds, the real concern is the quality of our colleges of education. Alternative route programs have not done enough to provide real opportunities for mid-level professionals in mathematics, science, and technology fields to enter the classroom. The programs pose too many barriers because these individuals are forced to take classes, pay tuition, and do student teaching. Meanwhile they cannot work for a year. They should have a six-week summer preparation course, take a content and pedagogy test, and be assigned to teach in the classroom at full pay.

(Opposed) None.