SENATE BILL REPORT
ESSB 5479
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.
Senate Committee on Education
Senate Hearing Date(s):February 3, 1987; February 16, 1987; February 19, 1987
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5479 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Gaspard, Chairman; Bauer, Vice Chairman; Rinehart, Vice Chairman; Bender, Smitherman, Warnke.
Senate Staff:Larry Davis (786-7422)
April 15, 1987
AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 17, 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. It is suggested that the current state grant programs be continued and regulations be waived to facilitate new and innovative restructuring of school systems and the delivery of programs.
Positive achievements can result from grouping early elementary aged students into primary block configurations. The Washington Roundtable in 1986 recommended a pilot program to explore the concept of primary block education.
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:
This Governor's request legislation deals with schools for the 21st century pilot program, masters requirements for teacher certification, principal preparation and certification, and staff development.
PART I-A -- SCHOOLS FOR THE 21st CENTURY
The schools for the 21st century pilot program is established to allow selected schools to restructure certain operations in order to: improve the learning climate for students; improve students' performance; hold participating schools and staff accountable for student progress; and relate teacher incentives to school-wide student performance.
The State Board of Education is to develop the pilot program to be administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The Governor shall appoint an advisory task force to assist the State Board in developing criteria governing grant application procedures, reviewing applications and selecting projects for grant awards, and monitoring and evaluating the pilot program. The Governor shall determine the size and composition of the task force. The task force shall terminate on June 30, 1988.
Pilot projects may receive initial funding for up to six years. The State Board shall select not more than 20 school projects per biennium and at least one entire school district may be selected as a pilot project. The initial pilot school projects begin during the 1988-89 school year. The State Board shall report to the Legislature on the progress of the program by January 15 of each odd-numbered year. The first report is due January 15, 1989.
Grant applications must be submitted by the local district board of directors and contain a proposed plan which includes: provision for certificated and classified staff to be employed on supplemental contracts with compensation for a minimum of ten days beyond the state-funded 180 day school year and staff development time; identification of the evaluation and accountability processes used in measuring student performance which must be used to implement a staff incentive pay system for the pilot project; and justification for each request for a waiver of specific state rules. 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 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 I-B -- PRIMARY BLOCK EDUCATION PROGRAMS
The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) is required to develop a model plan for providing support and technical assistance to school districts to develop and implement programs in primary block education in grades kindergarten through three (K-3).
The Superintendent of Public Instruction may establish a program to award grants to school districts for pilot primary block education programs and adopt rules establishing evaluative criteria for selecting pilot programs.
The SPI may receive and administer any gifts, grants and contributions from public or private sources as may be provided for the grant program.
The SPI is required to report biennially to the Legislature on the achievement of students who participate in pilot primary block education programs.
PART II -- TEACHING AS A PROFESSION
The State Board of Education and the Higher Education Coordinating Board are directed to develop standards for a Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree program. After August 31, 1993, a MAT degree or a masters in a liberal arts or science subject is required for continuing-level certification.
The State Board is directed to develop standards for teacher and principal internship programs; address provisions for establishing a mentor principal program; and develop standards for initial-level certification for persons who want to enter teaching from other fields.
The SPI is required to establish an administrators' academy. The academy shall focus on methods of developing and refining the administrative and leadership skills of school administrators. The Superintendent must submit to the Legislature by January 1989, a report on the implementation and progress of the administrators academy.
The State Board is required to adopt new rules for the certification of principals which must include: After August 31, 1993, a candidate must hold a continuing-level teacher or educational staff associate certificate in order to obtain an initial-level principal certificate; and to obtain a continuing-level principal certificate a candidate must complete a course of study through the administrators academy or through SPI approved or endorsed training programs offered by specialized or general professional associations.
PART III -- STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Building-level staff development plans must be included as part of a district's needs assessment if the district applies for state funds under the state In-Service Training Act.
The SPI is to appoint a temporary task force to identify state and local district requirements on forms and paperwork. After such identification the SPI shall recommend ways in which local and state reporting requirements might be combined and streamlined.
The June 27, 1987 sunset date for the state grant program for school-based management pilot projects is repealed.
Fiscal Note: available
Senate Committee - Testified: Ronn Robinson, Office of the Governor; Dr. Frank Brouillet, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Dr. Monica Schmidt, Executive Director, and Harry Peterson, Member, State Board of Education; Dr. Stephen Lilly, Dean, School of Education, Washington State University; Howard Coble, Washington Association of School Administrators; Dr. John Gott, Superintendent, North Thurston School District; Dr. James Worthington, Washington Council of Deans and Directors of Education; LaVaun Dennett, Principal, Montlake Elementary, Seattle School District
HOUSE AMENDMENTS:
SCHOOLS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
The pilot program is amended as follows: The Governor's task force shall be ten members and members shall serve for six years; school districts selected to participate in the pilot program are not required to implement a staff incentive pay system as part of the pilot project; districts are required to justify their request for waivers only for the first two years of the pilot project; staff in participating pilot project districts shall be given priority consideration for participation in state-sponsored staff development programs and summer institutes but such programs need not be directly related to the goals of the pilot project; 21 districts will be selected for participation in the program.
TEACHING AS A PROFESSION
The State Board of Education must develop and adopt by August 31, 1990, standards for teacher internship programs for both initial and continuing education and coordinate such programs with the Beginning Teacher Assistance Program.
The development of the Masters in Teaching degree program must include an internship requirement, and the continuing certificate is renamed the professional certificate.
Effective August 31, 1991, candidates for initial certification must possess a baccalaureate degree in the arts, sciences, and/or humanities. The initial certificate is good for two years but may be extended for additional time periods. The initial certificate is valid for a maximum of seven years. It may be extended beyond the first two years provided the teacher is enrolled in a masters degree program.
Effective August 31, 1993, candidates for professional certification must possess a masters degree in teaching or in the arts, sciences, and/or humanities. Such degree programs must include an internship requirement.
The State Board must review and develop standards for initial certification for persons entering education from other fields.
Candidates applying for admission into a teacher preparation program must demonstrate competence in oral and written communication skills and computation skills, and, if standardized tests approved by the State Board are used to determine competency, the passing grade may not be less than the median score for all students taking the test in the prior year and were admitted to the institution of higher education.
The State Board is to adopt a uniform state exit examination for initial certification. Effective January 1, 1991, candidates for initial certification must pass the pedagogy examination in order to receive initial certification.
By January 1, 1990, the State Board must recommend to the Legislature whether all teacher candidates should be required to pass a written subject matter examination for certification.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Building level plans under the state In-Service Training Act must be consistent with the goals of basic education.
New sections are added: (1) directing the SPI to use the state clearinghouse for education information, resources, and research to collect and disseminate to school districts information about existing model programs to enhance student's personal confidence, and (2) encouraging the Washington State Institute for Public Policy and the state's public and private colleges and universities to support or undertake research on issues concerning the relationship between personal confidence and student achievement.
All sections addressing pilot primary block education programs, establishing an administrator's academy, and establishing new principal certification requirements are deleted.