HOUSE BILL REPORT
ESSB 5479
As Amended by the House
BYSenate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators Gaspard, Bauer, Bender, Williams, Talmadge, DeJarnatt, Wojahn and Smitherman; by request of Office of the Governor)
Providing for the improvement of teachers and schools.
House Committe on Education
Majority Report: Do pass with amendments. (19)
Signed by Representatives Ebersole, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Appelwick, Betrozoff, Cole, Cooper, Holland, Holm, P. King, Peery, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Rust, Schoon, Taylor, Todd, Valle and Walker.
Minority Report: Do not pass. (1)
Signed by Representative Fuhrman.
House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7109)
Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations
Majority Report: Do pass with amendments by Committee on Ways & Means and not by Committee on Education. (16)
Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Allen, Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Ebersole, Grant, Grimm, Hine, McMullen, Niemi, Peery, Sayan, H. Sommers, Sprenkle and B. Williams.
Minority Report: Do not pass. (3)
Signed by Representatives Fuhrman, McLean and Silver.
House Staff: Janet Peterson (786-7143)
AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 14, 1987
BACKGROUND:
Recent national studies include recommendations to require teachers to hold a master's degree as a way to enhance the status of teaching as a professional field. Current state law or State Board of Education rules do not provide for such a requirement.
Research on school-based management and results of a state-funded grant program for school-based management pilot projects indicate that such projects can positively impact school programs. Various studies have recommended that regulations of schools should be flexible to facilitate new and innovative restructuring of school systems and the delivery of programs.
The state In-Service Training Act does not require districts' needs assessments to include building-level plans.
A number of state and district-level reporting and paperwork requirements are imposed upon teachers. Reviewing these and recommending ways to reduce these requirements may provide teachers with additional time for instructional and planning responsibilities.
SUMMARY:
PART I - SCHOOLS FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
The Governor's request legislation deals with schools for the twenty- first century pilot program, changing teacher preparation standards to require a masters degree for professional teacher certification, principal preparation and certification, and staff development.
The schools for the twenty-first century pilot program is established to allow selected schools to restructure their program through the use of waivers of statutes and regulations. The aim of the project is to determine if increased flexibility and decision-making can improve student learning and performance.
The State Board of Education is to develop the pilot program procedures, review applications, select project participants, monitor and evaluate the program. The State Board of Education shall also develop criteria for granting waivers to pilot projects. The State Board of Education shall be supported by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The State Board of Education shall cooperate with the Governor's Task Force on Schools for the Twenty-First Century.
The governor shall appoint ten people to a Task Force on Schools for the Twenty-First Century. The Task Force shall assist and cooperate with the State Board of Education in developing criteria governing the grant application process, review and selection of pilot projects. The task force may recommend projects to be selected and criteria for granting waivers. The task force members shall serve for a period of six years and the task force shall terminate on June 30, 1994.
Pilot projects may receive initial funding for two years, but projects may continue for six years. Additional funding is conditioned on money being appropriated for this purpose and a positive evaluation of the project. The State Board of Education shall select not more than twenty- one school projects per biennium and at least one entire school district shall be selected as a pilot project. The initial pilot projects begin during the 1988-89 school year. The State Board of Education shall report to the legislature on the progress of the program by January 15, 1989 and every two years thereafter. The projects shall terminate on June 30, 1994.
Grant applications must be submitted by the local district board of directors and contain a proposed plan which includes: provisions for certificated and classified staff to be employed on a supplemental contract with compensation for a minimum of ten days beyond the state- funded 180-day school year and staff development time. The application shall identify the evaluation and accountability process to be used in measuring student performance. Schools must also identity a model staff incentive pay system. Projects are not required to implement the staff incentive pay system. Justification for each request for a waiver of specific state rules shall be outlined in the application. Districts may use local resources to pay staff for days in excess of 190 days for the purposes of the pilot project.
The State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction are authorized to grant waivers from specific provisions of statutes or administrative rules and the State Board of Education shall adopt criteria to evaluate the need for the waivers. State rules dealing with public health, safety and civil rights shall not be waived for purposes of the pilot program.
Staff in participating districts is given priority consideration for participation in state sponsored staff development programs which are directly related to the goals of the selected pilot projects.
PART II TEACHING AS A PROFESSION
Beginning on August 31, 1991, an applicant applying for initial teacher certification must hold a baccalaureate degree in the arts, sciences and/or humanities and fulfill current requirements for initial certification. The initial certificate shall be valid for two years. The certificate may be renewed for three years by providing proof of admission to a masters degree program and enrollment in that program. An additional two-year extension may be granted on the recommendation of the degree granting institution, and by showing substantial progress toward completion of the degree, and that the degree can be completed in the two year extension period. Under no circumstances shall an initial certificate be valid for more than seven years.
Beginning on August 31, 1991, an applicant applying for professional teacher certification must hold a post-baccalaureate masters degree in arts, sciences, humanities or teaching. The masters degree must build upon the current certification requirements and include an internship.
The State Board of Education shall develop standards for internships as part of the requirements for initial and professional level certification and coordinate these requirements with the beginning teacher assistance act. The standards shall be adopted no later than August 31, 1990.
If an individual completes the requirements for certification but has not completed the application process, and the timeline for application is changed, the individual shall have no less time than was available for filing an application under the old requirements.
The State Board of Education shall develop standards for initial certification for persons who want to enter teaching from other fields. They shall also consider national certification procedures and review and make recommendations for reciprocity with other states.
Beginning in the 1988-89 school year, students entering a teacher preparation program must pass standardized tests used to demonstrate basic skills competency. Passing shall be a score that is no less than the mean score for all students admitted to that institution during the prior school year.
The State Board of Education shall establish a uniform exit test for teacher certification candidates to be administered at the end of the teacher preparation program. Passage of the test is a condition of receiving initial certification after January 1, 1991.
The State Board of Education shall also conduct a sample testing program to determine whether subject matter tests should be given to teacher certification candidates in endorsement areas. This program shall be tried in a limited number of endorsement areas and a limited number of teachers holding endorsements shall be tested. The State Board of Education shall make recommendations to the Legislature on the use of such tests by January 1, 1990. Results of the sample testing program shall be made available to the legislature.
The State Board of Education is required to review standards for the certification of principals and educational staff associates.
PART III - STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Building-level staff development plans must be included as part of a district needs assessment if the district applies for state funds under the state In-Service Training Act.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction is to appoint a temporary task force to identity state and local district paperwork requirements. Recommendation shall be made on ways to combine and streamline reporting requirements.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall collect and distribute information through the education clearinghouse on the relationship between a student's self-confidence and learning. Research on the impact of improved student self-confidence on learning and performance is encouraged in the public schools and institutions of higher education.
Fiscal Note: Requested April 6, 1987.
Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on June 15, 1987.
House Committee ‑ Testified For: (Education) Ronn Robinson, Governor's Office; Frank Brouillet, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Harry Petersen, State Board of Education; Bob Maier, Washington Education Association; Kris Van Gorkum, Washington Association of School Administrators; Chuck Talmage, Association of Washington School Principals; Ben Edlund, Washington State School Directors Association.
(Ways & Means/Appropriations) Ronn Robinson, Office of Financial Management
House Committee - Testified Against: (Education) Jnon Rishan, Citizens for Excellence in Education.
(Ways & Means/Appropriations) None Presented.
House Committee - Testimony For: (Education) We are supportive of the bill with the amendments placing the masters degree requirement at the continuing level. With these requirements Washington has the highest standards in the nation for preparation and certification of its teachers. While we support these changes it is important that we provide the moneys for the in-service training portions of this bill, assure that the five extra days are available for teachers, and consider the use of incentive based pay at the building level. There is some concern, however, about having test results be the only measure of success. There is also support for the involvement of associations in the training of principals.
(Ways & Means/Appropriations) The bill is an important step towards enhancing teaching as a profession.
House Committee - Testimony Against: (Education) We are not concerned with the content of the bill as such, but with its implementation. Students should not be taught by the use of therapeutic techniques or values clarification to adopt ideas and values which are different than their family. Children need to be taught reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic.
(Ways & Means/Appropriations) None Presented.