BILL REQ. #:  H-1681.1 

Read first time 02/11/09.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to implementing strategies to address the achievement gap; amending RCW 28A.150.210, 28A.410.210, and 28A.660.010; reenacting and amending RCW 28A.415.023; adding new sections to chapter 28A.300 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.305 RCW; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds compelling evidence from five commissioned studies that additional progress must be made to address the achievement gap. The studies also contain specific recommendations for action by the legislature, colleges of education, school leadership, teachers, and communities. These recommendations are data-driven and drawn from education research, as well as the personal, professional, and cultural experience of those who contributed to the studies.
     (2) Therefore, following the priority recommendations from the achievement gap studies, the legislature intends to:
     (a) Create an ongoing advisory committee to provide a forum for continued focus and priority on eliminating the achievement gap;
     (b) Include in the basic education goal the responsibility for the school system to be responsive to the distinct learning needs of students from all races, cultures, and income levels;
     (c) Provide resources to schools with large numbers of disadvantaged students to support parent and community involvement and outreach efforts;
     (d) Require school improvement plans to include specific strategies to address the achievement gap;
     (e) Require that teachers have opportunities to increase their multicultural understanding throughout their careers;
     (f) Create local alternative routes to teacher certification for paraeducators and individuals in the communities surrounding schools and school districts that are struggling to address the achievement gap;
     (g) Initiate a planning process for creating innovative millennium schools on a pilot basis;
     (h) Reexamine the study recommendations regarding data and accountability and identify ways for the education data accountability system to address these needs; and
     (i) Combine the study findings and recommendations into a best practices manual to be distributed to school districts.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1)(a) The achievement gap advisory committee is established within the office of the superintendent of public instruction, composed of at least fifteen members each appointed for two-year terms as follows:
     (i) Three members appointed by the commission on African-American affairs;
     (ii) Three members appointed by the commission on Hispanic affairs;
     (iii) Three members appointed by the governor's office of Indian affairs;
     (iv) Three members representing Asian Americans appointed by the commission on Asian Pacific American affairs; and
     (v) Three members representing Pacific Islander Americans appointed by the commission on Asian Pacific American affairs.
     (b) The superintendent of public instruction may appoint up to five additional members, also for two-year terms. The members of the committee shall select the chair of the committee for a one-year term. There is no limitation on the number of terms a member may serve if reappointed.
     (c) The committee may create temporary subcommittees to examine particular topics in greater depth.
     (d) Members of the committee shall serve without compensation but must be reimbursed as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (e) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide staff support for the committee.
     (2) The purpose of the achievement gap advisory committee is to advise the superintendent of public instruction, the professional educator standards board, and the state board of education on effective measures to close the achievement gap, to foster public accountability for achieving excellence and equity in public education, and to promote a greater sense of urgency and priority for doing so. The committee has the following responsibilities:
     (a) Establish key indicators and benchmarks to measure progress in closing the achievement gap, and advise the office of the superintendent of public instruction on the data collection and analysis necessary to track the indicators;
     (b) Identify current programs and resources that have the potential to narrow the gap and make recommendations for their effective utilization;
     (c) Offer advice on how to improve communication and coordination among programs aimed at narrowing the achievement gap;
     (d) Advise the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the professional educator standards board on effective professional development programs and practices that increase cultural competence, family and community engagement, and instruction for struggling students;
     (e) Advise the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the professional educator standards board, and the state board of education on effective methods of recruiting and retaining diverse teachers and school administrators; and
     (f) Advise the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the state board of education on making closing the achievement gap a central goal of all school improvement programs and plans.

Sec. 3   RCW 28A.150.210 and 2007 c 400 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The goal of the basic education act for the schools of the state of Washington set forth in this chapter shall be to provide students with the opportunity to become responsible and respectful global citizens, to contribute to their economic well-being and that of their families and communities, to explore and understand different perspectives, and to enjoy productive and satisfying lives. Additionally, the state of Washington intends to provide for ((a)) an excellent and equitable public school system that adequately identifies and is responsive to the distinct learning needs of students from every race, culture, and income level, and is able to evolve and adapt in order to better focus on strengthening the educational achievement of all students((, which)). This includes high expectations for all students and ((gives)) provides all students the opportunity to achieve personal and academic success. To these ends, the goals of each school district, with the involvement of parents and community members, shall be to provide opportunities for every student to develop the knowledge and skills essential to:
     (1) Read with comprehension, write effectively, and communicate successfully in a variety of ways and settings and with a variety of audiences;
     (2) Know and apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics; social, physical, and life sciences; civics and history, including different cultures and participation in representative government; geography; arts; and health and fitness;
     (3) Think analytically, logically, and creatively, and to integrate different experiences and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems; and
     (4) Understand the importance of work and finance and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   (1) Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate to each school district ten dollars per full-time equivalent student enrolled in a school in the district where more than forty percent of the students enrolled in the school were eligible for free and reduced price lunch during the prior school year. Each school district receiving an allocation under this section shall distribute the funds directly to the school that generates the funds.
     (2) Schools shall use the funds under this section to support parent and community involvement and outreach efforts, including such items as additional notices and communication to parents, translations, translators, parent and community meetings, school events within the community, and parent and community outreach facilitators. Schools and school districts are encouraged to consult with the office of the education ombudsman in developing plans for parent and community involvement and outreach.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 28A.305 RCW to read as follows:
     The state board of education shall by rule require each school district to include in the school improvement plans of the district specific actions that will be taken to close the achievement gap across various subgroups of students.

Sec. 6   RCW 28A.410.210 and 2008 c 176 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The purpose of the professional educator standards board is to establish policies and requirements for the preparation and certification of educators that provide standards for competency in professional knowledge and practice in the areas of certification; a foundation of skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to help students with diverse needs, abilities, cultural experiences, and learning styles meet or exceed the learning goals outlined in RCW 28A.150.210; knowledge of research-based practice; and professional development throughout a career. The Washington professional educator standards board shall:
     (1) Establish policies and practices for the approval of programs of courses, requirements, and other activities leading to educator certification including teacher, school administrator, and educational staff associate certification;
     (2) Establish policies and practices for the approval of the character of work required to be performed as a condition of entrance to and graduation from any educator preparation program including teacher, school administrator, and educational staff associate preparation program as provided in subsection (1) of this section;
     (3) Establish a list of accredited institutions of higher education of this and other states whose graduates may be awarded educator certificates as teacher, school administrator, and educational staff associate and establish criteria and enter into agreements with other states to acquire reciprocal approval of educator preparation programs and certification, including teacher certification from the national board for professional teaching standards;
     (4) Establish policies for approval of nontraditional educator preparation programs;
     (5) Conduct a review of educator program approval standards at least every five years, beginning in 2006, to reflect research findings and assure continued improvement of preparation programs for teachers, administrators, and school specialized personnel;
     (6) Specify the types and kinds of educator certificates to be issued and conditions for certification in accordance with subsection (1) of this section and RCW 28A.410.010;
     (7) Hear and determine educator certification appeals as provided by RCW 28A.410.100;
     (8) Apply for and receive federal or other funds on behalf of the state for purposes related to the duties of the board;
     (9) Adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW that are necessary for the effective and efficient implementation of this chapter;
     (10) Maintain data concerning educator preparation programs and their quality, educator certification, educator employment trends and needs, and other data deemed relevant by the board;
     (11) Serve as an advisory body to the superintendent of public instruction on issues related to educator recruitment, hiring, mentoring and support, professional growth, retention, educator evaluation including but not limited to peer evaluation, and revocation and suspension of licensure;
     (12) Submit, by October 15th of each even-numbered year, a joint report with the state board of education to the legislative education committees, the governor, and the superintendent of public instruction. The report shall address the progress the boards have made and the obstacles they have encountered, individually and collectively, in the work of achieving the goals set out in RCW 28A.150.210;
     (13) Establish the prospective teacher assessment system for basic skills and subject knowledge that shall be required to obtain residency certification pursuant to RCW 28A.410.220 through 28A.410.240;
     (14) By January 2010, set performance standards and develop, pilot, and implement a uniform and externally administered professional-level certification assessment based on demonstrated teaching skill. In the development of this assessment, consideration shall be given to changes in professional certification program components such as the culminating seminar; ((and))
     (15) In consultation with the advisory committee under section 2 of this act, establish competencies for all levels of educator certification that address knowledge, skills, and performance in multicultural understanding. For the purposes of this section and section 7 of this act, "multicultural understanding" includes knowledge of student cultural histories and contexts, as well as family norms and values in different cultures; knowledge and skills in accessing community resources and community and parent outreach; and skills in adapting instruction to students' experiences and identifying cultural contexts for individual students;
     (16) Establish a minimum number of continuing education credits or clock hours for purposes of continuing educator certification, including for teachers, school administrators, and educational staff associates, that must be designed to increase the multicultural understanding of the educator; and
     (17) Conduct meetings under the provisions of chapter 42.30 RCW.

Sec. 7   RCW 28A.415.023 and 2005 c 497 s 209 and 2005 c 393 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) Credits earned by certificated instructional staff after September 1, 1995, shall be eligible for application to the salary schedule developed by the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee only if the course content:
     (a) Is consistent with a school-based plan for mastery of student learning goals as referenced in RCW 28A.655.110, the annual school performance report, for the school in which the individual is assigned;
     (b) Pertains to the individual's current assignment or expected assignment for the subsequent school year;
     (c) Is necessary to obtain an endorsement as prescribed by the Washington professional educator standards board;
     (d) Is specifically required to obtain advanced levels of certification;
     (e) Is included in a college or university degree program that pertains to the individual's current assignment, or potential future assignment, as a certified instructional staff; ((or))
     (f) Addresses research-based assessment and instructional strategies for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and language disabilities when addressing learning goal one under RCW 28A.150.210, as applicable and appropriate for individual certificated instructional staff; or
     (g) Is designed to increase the multicultural understanding of the certificated instructional staff.
     (2) For the purpose of this section, "credits" mean college quarter hour credits and equivalent credits for approved in-service, approved continuing education, or approved internship hours computed in accordance with RCW 28A.415.020.
     (3) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules and standards consistent with the limits established by this section for certificated instructional staff.

Sec. 8   RCW 28A.660.010 and 2004 c 23 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) There is hereby created a statewide partnership grant program to provide new high-quality alternative routes to residency teacher certification. To the extent funds are appropriated for this specific purpose, funds provided under this partnership grant program shall be used solely for school districts, or consortia of school districts, to partner with state-approved higher education teacher preparation programs to provide one or more of four alternative route programs in RCW 28A.660.040, with routes one, two, and three aimed at recruiting candidates to teaching in subject matter shortage areas and areas with shortages due to geographic location. Districts, or consortia of districts, may also include their educational service districts in their partnership grant program.
     (2) The professional educator standards board shall provide assistance to school districts where data indicates significant achievement gaps among subgroups of students and for large numbers of those students. The purpose of the assistance is to develop partnership grant programs between the districts and teacher preparation programs to provide one or more of the four alternative route programs under RCW 28A.660.040 and recruit paraeducators and other individuals in the local community to become certified as teachers. To the maximum extent possible, the board shall coordinate the recruiting Washington teachers program under RCW 28A.415.370 with the alternative route programs under this subsection.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9   (1)(a) The legislature finds that there is a critical and urgent need for a new model of innovation in public education that confronts and solves the staggering problem of persistent inequity in educational outcomes for students from different demographic groups.
     (b) This model, to be called millennium schools, will provide a new kind of educational opportunity for students in demographic groups that are currently over represented in measures such as school disciplinary sanctions, failure to meet state academic standards, failure to graduate, enrolled in special education, enrolled in underperforming schools, and who are underrepresented in advanced placement courses, honors programs, and college preparatory classes, college enrollment and completion.
     (c) Millennium schools will be located in communities, with particular emphasis on urban areas, where there are the largest concentrations of students who face the economic and cultural barriers that place them in these underachieving demographic groups.
     (d) The new model will offer intensive, rigorous, and supportive learning that is extremely culturally competent and that prepares these students for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. It will integrate the full array of evidence-based practices that have been shown to reduce demographic disparities in achievement, increase graduation rates, participation in advanced placement, and college enrollment and completion.
     (2) Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall award a one-time planning grant to design and create a phased-in implementation plan for up to three millennium schools. The schools must be implemented on a pilot basis beginning in the 2011-12 school year in areas with high concentrations of students who statistically lag in achievement.
     (3) A "millennium school" is a school that provides all of the following programs or activities:
     (a) Preparation of students for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math;
     (b) Integration of best practices;
     (c) Early outreach to parents to help them provide birth-to-three stimulation and early learning for infants and toddlers as well as early learning programs for children that begin at age three;
     (d) Parent involvement to build high expectations and planning for postsecondary education;
     (e) Rigorous curriculum for grades kindergarten through twelve to include advanced placement programs and dual enrollment options to encourage and allow students to earn college credits while still enrolled in high school;
     (f) Instructional strategies that address multiple learning styles and cultural contexts;
     (g) Highly qualified teachers;
     (h) Technology to assist in learning, data tracking, and analysis as well as school management;
     (i) Transition assistance to ensure that all students leave high school prepared for college-level work without remediation;
     (j) Partnerships with local businesses that will provide career exploration, mentoring, technology, and other support as well as professional development for teachers; and
     (k) After school enrichment programs, to include programs such as mathematics engineering science achievement, to increase skills in science and mathematics as well as knowledge of emerging industries.
     (4) The recipients of the grant under this section shall report to the governor, the legislature, and the office of superintendent of public instruction on their progress and plans for implementation of millennium schools by September 1, 2010.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall:
     (1) Examine the findings and recommendations of the 2008 achievement gap studies regarding student data and identify ways to incorporate the recommendations into the comprehensive data and research system and other data collection initiatives; and
     (2) Combine the findings and recommendations from each of the studies into a best practices manual to be distributed to school districts and made available on the office web site.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   Sections 2, 4, and 9 of this act are each added to chapter 28A.300 RCW.