Brief Summary of Bill

Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to adopt a definition of professional learning and make recommendations for how it may be used to guide policy and investments in educator professional development.
Directs each Educational Service District to retain professional development coordinators in mathematics, science, and English Language Arts, if funds are provided.
Allows Learning Assistance Program funds to be used to support students in science.
Directs the OSPI to adopt consistent procedures for school districts to identify and select students for purposes of the Highly Capable Program.
Requires student performance data from the Transitional Bilingual Instructional Program to be reported online through the Washington State Report Card.
Requires a fairness and bias review to be conducted before implementation of revisions to state learning standards.
Renames a staffing category in the prototypical school funding formula.
Allows qualified graduates of the Recruiting Washington Teachers Program to participate in an alternative route teacher preparation scholarship program.

Background:

Quality Education Council.

Legislation adopted in 2009 established the Quality Education Council (QEC) and tasked it with informing and making strategic recommendations on the ongoing implementation of the program of Basic Education and the funding to support it. The QEC is composed of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and representatives from the Legislature, the State Board of Education, the Department of Early Learning, the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB), the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee (Opportunity Gap Committee), and the Office of the Governor.

The QEC has submitted annual reports to the Legislature, including various recommendations intended to close the educational opportunity gap; improve supplemental instruction through the Learning Assistance Program (LAP), the Transitional Bilingual Instructional Program (TBIP), and the Highly Capable Program (HCP); and support education professionals, including through programs that encourage diverse populations to become teachers. The QEC has also examined issues related to Early Learning and the state funding formula for the TBIP in response to specific legislative assignments.

Other Programs.

Since 2007 funding has been provided through a budget proviso to support mathematics and science coordinators at each of the nine Educational Service Districts (ESDs). The coordinators provide regional professional development to support implementation of state learning standards, aligned curriculum, and instructional strategies.

The Recruiting Washington Teachers program (RWT) operates as a grant-funded partnership between high schools, colleges of education, and community organizations to recruit and provide training and support for diverse high school students to enter the teaching profession. There are no scholarships available to provide a further incentive for these students to enter teaching.

The Pipeline for Paraeducators (Pipeline) program assists classified school employees to first earn a transferrable associate degree, and then enroll in an alternative route program to earn a bachelor's degree and teaching certification. Participation in the Pipeline has been limited.

The Opportunity Internship Program (OIP) provides incentives for consortia of high schools, businesses, and community organizations to provide internships and other training opportunities in high-demand occupations for low-income high school students. Students who complete the OIP are eligible for up to one year of state financial aid for postsecondary study.

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Summary of Bill:

Professional Learning.

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), in partnership with other experts and practitioners, is directed to create a common definition for professional learning. The OSPI must submit the definition to the legislative education committees by January 15, 2014, along with a recommended framework for how the definition could be used to guide policy and investments in professional development.

Subject to funding, each ESD must retain professional development coordinators with expertise in mathematics, science, and English language arts. The coordinators must offer regional professional development to assist educators with implementation of state standards, alignment of curriculum, and instructional strategies.

Learning Assistance Program.

The skill areas to be addressed by the LAP are expanded to include science. Extended learning opportunities for struggling students, funded through the LAP, are expanded to include students in grades 9 through 12 rather than only students in grades 11 and 12.

Transitional Bilingual Instructional Program.

Aggregated results of student performance on the English language proficiency assessments used in the TBIP must be posted on the Washington State Report Card website by school and district. Additional information about academic performance and progress of TBIP students must also be posted.

Highly Capable Program.

A legislative finding is added to the HCP that the education of highly capable students may include supports and services in addition to those ordinarily provided in general education. For purposes of the HCP, a highly capable student is defined as a student who performs or shows potential for performing at significantly advanced levels when compared to others of his or her age, experience, or environment. Rules adopted by the OSPI for school districts to nominate, assess, and select their most highly capable students must address consistent procedures for universal screening, public notification, use of multiple criteria, involvement of qualified professionals, family involvement, and safeguards to reduce bias.

Fairness and Bias Review.

Before implementing revisions to the state Essential Academic Learning Requirements, the SPI must first ensure that a fairness and bias review has been conducted, including an opportunity for input from the Opportunity Gap Committee and an additional diverse group of community representatives, parents, and educators.

Family Engagement.

The title of one of the staffing categories within the prototypical school funding formula is changed from "Parent Involvement Coordinator" to "Family Engagement Coordinator."

Recruiting Washington Teachers.

Graduates of the RWT may participate in the Pipeline scholarship, as long as they meet the qualifications for the program, and paraeducators continue to receive first priority for scholarship awards. Partnerships that offer the RWT may be considered consortia for purposes of the OIP and thus apply to participate in the OIP.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) The items in the bill represent a group of improvements in the Basic Education program that the QEC has been working on since the passage of House Bill 2261 to make sure we are continually improving and enhancing the program. With the assistance of our education professionals and parents, we are keeping a focus on student success. This bill has been considered by the Legislature before; let's get these supports in place and give schools the tools they need to improve their programs.

Even though the funding for professional development has been eliminated, this bill highlights its importance. One of the best outcomes from the bill would be intentionality in professional development. The RWT is a very successful program and should be supported. This gives the RWT students an opportunity to get a scholarship and make a commitment to become teachers in our state. The QEC is doing important work. We are starting to see important pieces of a comprehensive plan to improve Basic Education coming together.

There is a need to underscore how much work has gone in to the QEC and the very significant role that the QEC has been given in statute. That work should be taken very seriously. This bill recognizes the continuity of effort and the importance of their work.

(Opposed) None.