HOUSE BILL REPORT

EHB 485

BYRepresentatives Valle, Holland, Ebersole, Wang, Peery, Unsoeld, P. King, Spanel, Pruitt, Winsley and Todd; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Board of Education

Continuing the beginning teachers assistance program.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:     Do pass.  (20)

     Signed by Representatives Ebersole, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Appelwick, Betrozoff, Cole, Cooper, Fuhrman, Holland, Holm, P. King, Peery, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Rust, Schoon, L. Smith, Todd, Valle and Walker.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means

Majority Report:     Do pass with amendment.  (31)

     Signed by Representatives Grimm, Chair; Bristow, Vice Chair; Allen, Appelwick, Basich, Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Ebersole, Fuhrman, Grant, Hine, Holland, Locke, Madsen, McLean, McMullen, Nealey, Niemi, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Schoon, Silver, L. Smith, H. Sommers, Sprenkle, Taylor, Valle, B. Williams and Winsley.

House Staff:    Janet Peterson (786-7143)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 18, 1987

BACKGROUND:

In 1985, the legislature passed legislation directing the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop and implement a Mentor Teacher Program.  The program was to provide support to new teachers by pairing them with an experienced teacher.  During the first year of the program 100 mentor teacher teams participated.  During the second year of the program up to 1,000 teams were eligible to participate.  As part of the program, training and a stipend were provided for the mentor teacher.  Provisions were also made for the payment of substitutes so the mentor teacher and beginning teacher could jointly observe other teaching environments, and to allow the mentor teacher to observe and assist the beginning teacher in the classroom.

SUMMARY:

The beginning teachers assistance program is continued.  The program, which pairs beginning teachers with mentor teachers, provides continuing support to a beginning teacher both inside and outside the classroom.  Workshops shall be conducted for both mentor teachers and beginning teachers.  The mentor teacher shall be paid a stipend.  The mentor teacher shall also periodically report to the principal on the contents of the training sessions and other program activities.

Periodically the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall consult with representatives of educational organizations, associations, educational service districts, and institutions of higher education for purposes of improving communication, cooperation, and program review.  A report shall be made to the legislature on the results of the program no later than December 31, 1987.

No person may be admitted to a professional teacher preparation program within Washington state without first demonstrating competency in speaking, writing, and mathematics.  For persons applying for the 1990-91 school year and thereafter, the student must score at a level not less than the median score for all students taking the standardized test used for determining competency at that institution.

An exit test shall be given to all students completing a professional teacher preparation program after January 1, 1990. The student must pass the exit test before being granted a teaching certificate.  The examination shall include, but not be limited to, knowledge and competence in instructional skills, classroom management, and pupil discipline.  The test shall consist primarily of essay questions, but may include some objective questions.

The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement the entrance and exit tests.

Each candidate for a teaching certificate shall be endorsed in one or more subject matter or teacher specializations.  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules allowing candidates to pass a specific written examination at specified levels to earn an endorsement in lieu of course work.  These rules shall be adopted by March 15, 1988.

The State Board of Education shall issue to the legislature a recommendation as to whether all teacher candidates should be required to pass a written subject matter examination no later than January 1, 1990.  The recommendation shall be based on the State Board's experience in the sample examination of teacher candidates who qualify for endorsements based on other criteria.

Fiscal Note:    Requested March 6, 1987.

Effective Date:An emergency is declared and this act shall take effect June 15, 1987.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     (Education)  Judy Hartmann, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(Ways & Means)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testified Against: (Education)  None Presented.

(Ways & Means)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     (Education)  The mentor teacher program proved to be an effective method of supporting beginning teachers in the important first year of teaching. This relationship should be encouraged by expanding this program to involve all beginning teachers.

(Ways & Means)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony Against: (Education)  None Presented.

(Ways & Means)  None Presented.