SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5622

BYSenate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators Gaspard, Smitherman, Bauer and Bender; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Board of Education)

Continuing the beginning teachers assistance program.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 10, 1987; February 16, 1987; February 19, 1987

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5622 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Gaspard, Chairman; Bauer, Vice Chairman; Rinehart, Vice Chairman; Bailey, Bender, Benitz, Patterson, Saling, Smitherman, Warnke.

Senate Staff:Larry Davis (786-7422)

                  March 5, 1987

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 5, 1987

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5622 as recommended by Committee on Education be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDermott, Chairman; Gaspard, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Fleming, Kreidler, Lee, McDonald, Moore, Owen, Rinehart, Saling, Talmadge, Warnke, Williams, Wojahn.

Senate Staff:Mike Williams (786-7439)

                  April 17, 1987

AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 17, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The Beginning Teacher Assistance Program was established as a pilot program in 1985.  Eighty-nine beginning teacher/mentor teacher teams participated in the program during the 1985-86 school year; 703 teams are participating this current 1986-87 school year.  The report by the Superintendent of Public Instruction on the results of the program indicates it has been successful and includes a recommendation that the program be continued.  It is suggested that the program allow mentor teachers to work with experienced teachers.

SUMMARY:

The sunset date for the Beginning Teacher Assistance Program is repealed and the program is made ongoing.  The name is changed to the Teacher Assistance Program, and the program is expanded to allow experienced teachers to participate and receive assistance from mentor teachers.

Beginning teachers, mentor teachers and experienced teachers may include anyone who possesses a certificate issued by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Mentor teachers may not be involved with evaluations of beginning or experienced teachers who receive assistance under the Teacher Assistance Program and are required to inform their principals periodically about the contents of training sessions and other program activities.

Stipends and workshops will be provided for beginning teachers as well as mentor teachers, and release time will be provided for mentor, beginning, and experienced teachers.

School districts shall select the mentor teachers.  If a local bargaining unit exists in the district, teachers representing the bargaining unit must participate in the selection process.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction is required to consult periodically with educational organization and association representatives, including educational service districts and public and private colleges and universities, for the purpose of improving communication and cooperation and program review.

The Superintendent must report to the Legislature on the results of the program by December 31, 1987.

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: EDUCATION:  Dr. Frank Brouillet, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Judy Hartmann, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Senator Cliff Bailey, sponsor (SB 5727); Bob Pickles, Washington Education Association

Senate Committee - Testified: WAYS & MEANS:  No one

HOUSE AMENDMENTS:

The name of the Teacher Assistance program is returned to the Beginning Teacher Assistance program and experienced teachers are precluded from participation in the program.

Stipends will not be provided to beginning teachers.

Language is deleted:  (1) That if a local bargaining unit exists in a district, the unit must participate in the selection of the mentor teachers; (2) clarifying that mentor teachers may not be involved in evaluations of a teacher receiving assistance from a mentor under the program; and (3) clarifying that mentor teachers are superior teachers based on their evaluations under the state teacher evaluation statute.

New sections are added relating to teacher testing:

No person may be admitted to a professional teacher preparation program within Washington state without first demonstrating competency in the basic skills.  For persons applying for the 1988-89 school year and thereafter, if standardized tests approved by the State Board are used to determine competency, the student must score at a level not less than the median score for all students at the institution taking the standardized test.

An exit test shall be given to all students completing a professional teacher preparation program after January 1, 1991. 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 student behavior and development.  The test shall consist primarily of essay questions.

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

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