H-332                _______________________________________________

                                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 38

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Valle, Winsley, Ebersole, Rayburn, Pruitt, P. King, Lewis and Unsoeld

Read first time 1/15/87 and referred to Committee on Education.

AN ACT Relating to sabbaticals for teachers; adding new sections to chapter 28A.67 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature recognizes that it is important to retain experienced teachers to teach our youth.  No substitute can be found for the knowledge gained by actually teaching children and understanding their needs.  It is also clear that teachers need and deserve the opportunity to rejuvenate themselves by renewing their knowledge and having the opportunity to change areas of subject matter expertise.  In recognition of this need the teacher sabbatical program is created.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     Each district may authorize two percent of its certificated instructional staff with eight to twelve years of continuous teaching experience in the same school district to take a one year sabbatical.  The sabbatical may be taken to return to school or to engage in clinical or work experience related to the teacher's area of expertise or for the teacher to develop a new area of teaching expertise.  The teacher's proposal for a sabbatical program shall be submitted to the school district for joint approval by the district and the teacher.  No more than two percent of the qualified teachers in a school district may take a sabbatical in any given year.  For the sabbatical year the teacher shall receive one-half of his or her regular salary paid for from state funds and shall receive continuation of benefits from the school district.  The teacher shall not lose seniority as a result of taking a sabbatical.  The teacher's acceptance of the sabbatical, benefits, and one-half of his or her regular salary shall be conditioned upon the teacher's promise to work two full school years for the district immediately after taking the sabbatical.  If the teacher fails to do so, the teacher shall pay back the amount of the salary moneys received during the sabbatical year within five years after the sabbatical year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The sum of .......... dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction to be distributed to school districts for the implementation of the teacher sabbatical program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     Sections 1 and 2 of this act are added to chapter 28A.67 RCW.