H-3635              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1802

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representatives Spanel, Peery, Betrozoff, Crane, Walker, Schoon, Silver, Moyer, Butterfield, Doty, May, D. Sommers, Basich, Miller, P. King and Hine

Read first time 1/27/88 and referred to Committee on Education.

AN ACT Relating to waiver of demonstration basic skills competency for persons entering a teacher preparation program for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree, graduate degree program, or completed two or more years of college level course work and are over the age of twenty-one; amending RCW 28A.04.122; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 202, chapter 525, Laws of 1987 and RCW 28A.04.122 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1)  No person may be admitted to a professional teacher preparation program within Washington state without first demonstrating that he or she is competent in the basic skills required for oral and written communication and computation.  This requirement shall be waived for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree; or graduate degree program; or who have completed two or more years of college level course work, demonstrated competency through college level course work and a written essay, and are over the age of twenty-one.

          (2) After June 30, 1989, no person shall be admitted to a teacher preparation program who has a combined score of less than the state-wide median score for the prior school year scored by all persons taking the Washington precollege test or who has achieved an equivalent standard score on comparable portions of other standardized tests.  The state board of education shall develop criteria and adopt rules for exemptions from this subsection.

          (3) The state board of education shall adopt rules to implement this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.