AN ACT Relating to improving the educational system; amending RCW 28A.04.127 and 28A.71.210; adding new chapters to Title 28A RCW; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON: @bcPart i

Schools for the twenty-first century@ec

NEW SECTION. Sec. 101. A board for the twenty-first century schools pilot project shall be established to administer sections 101 through 109 of this act, and select projects for grants, subject to legislative appropriation, for twenty-first century pilot school building programs. The twenty-first century pilot school programs may be conducted during a six-year period if funds are so provided. Selected schools or districts shall receive initial funding for a two-year period, and, subject to continued state funding, may be extended for a total period of six years.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 102. The board shall consist of the governor, the superintendent of public instruction, three members appointed by the governor, and two members appointed by the superintendent of public instruction. The governor and the superintendent of public instruction shall serve as co-chairs of the board.

The appointed board members shall serve for one six-year term. Members shall receive no salary, but the appointed members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 103. The board shall develop a process for schools to apply to participate in the schools for the twenty-first century pilot program. The board shall review and select projects for grant awards, and monitor and evaluate the pilot school program. The board shall report to the legislature on the progress of the pilot school program by January 15 of each odd-numbered year, including a recommendation on the number of additional pilot schools which should be authorized and funded. The first report shall be submitted January 15, 1989.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 104. Initial applications to participate in the schools for the twenty-first century pilot program and be designated as a twenty-first century school shall be submitted to the board not later than March 15, 1988. Subject to available funding, additional applications may be submitted for board consideration by November 1 of subsequent years. School districts shall receive notification of grant awards for each school year prior to May 1 of the immediately preceding school year. The application shall contain a proposed plan which includes:

(1) Enumeration of the specific activities to be carried out as part of the pilot school project.

(2) Planning proposals that:

(a) Commit all parties to work cooperatively together during the six-year project;

(b) Include provisions for certificated school staff to be employed on supplemental contracts with additional compensation for a minimum of ten additional days beyond the general state funded school year allocations and staff development time as provided by legislative appropriation, but district resources may be used to fund the employment of staff beyond the ten additional days;

(c) Include budget plans for the project and additional anticipated sources of funding, including private grants and contributions, if any; and

(d) Identify the technical resources desired, the potential costs of those resources, and the institutions of higher education or consultants available to provide such services.

(3) Identifying the evaluation and accountability processes to be used to measure school-wide student and project performance, and which will serve as the basis to establish and implement a twenty-first century pilot school staff incentive pay system.

(4) Justification for each request for waiver of specific state rules during the first two years of the project.

(5) A statement that school directors and administrators are willing, and state that they are willing, to waive specifically identified local rules, as needed, in the pilot school.

(6) A statement that the school directors and the local bargaining agents will modify those portions of their local agreements as applicable for the pilot school projects.

(7) Statements of support from the district's board of directors, the district superintendent, the principal and faculty of the building requesting to become a pilot school; and statements of support, willingness to participate, or concerns from any interested parent and business and community organizations.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 105. State rules dealing with public health, safety, and civil rights, including accessibility by the handicapped, shall not be waived. The district may request that the board ask the United States department of education to waive federal regulations.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 106. The board, in reviewing project proposals, shall, subject to sufficient legislative appropriations, select:

(1) Not more than twenty school projects for the twenty-first century school project status during each biennium;

(2) Schools that have and have not completed a self-study process within the past three years; and

(3) At least one small school district may be selected as a project if the application is consistent with the requirements under section 104 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 107. Selected projects should reflect a balance among elementary, junior high or middle schools, and high schools. They should also reflect, as much as possible, a balance among geographical areas and school characteristics and sizes. No district may receive funding for more than one twenty-first century school pilot project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 108. The office of the superintendent of public instruction will distribute the award grants for funding of schools selected for the twenty-first century pilot projects by March 1, 1988, and the initial projects will begin during the 1988-89 school year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 109. The board shall ensure that successful applicant school districts will be afforded resource and special support assistance, as specified in legislative appropriations, in undertaking schools for the twenty-first century pilot program activities. The board shall develop a process that coordinates and facilitates linkages among participating school districts and colleges and universities. Priority consideration shall be given for staff participation in state sponsored staff development programs and summer institutes.

Sec. 110. Section 6, chapter 349, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28A.04.127 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The state board of education may grant waivers to school districts from the provisions of RCW 28A.58.750 through 28A.58.754 on the basis that such waiver or waivers are necessary to implement successfully a local plan to provide for all students in the district an effective education system that is designed to enhance the educational program for each student. The local plan may include alternative ways to provide effective educational programs for students who experience difficulty with the regular education program.

(2) Upon the request of the board for the twenty-first century schools project, the state board of education may grant waivers to schools participating in the schools for the twenty-first century pilot program, chapter 28A.---!sc ,1RCW (sections 101 through 109 of this 1987 act) from any provision of this title on the basis that such waiver is necessary to enable the school to carry out their projects under the program.

(3) The state board shall adopt criteria to evaluate the need for the waiver or waivers.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 111. The office of the superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules, under chapter 34.04 RCW, as necessary to implement its duties to distribute awards and implement the waiver of rules as may be requested by the board for the twenty-first century schools project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 112. Sections 101 through 109 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28A RCW. @bcPart ii

Teaching as a profession@ec

NEW SECTION. Sec. 201. The legislature intends to enhance the education of the state's youth by improving the quality of teaching. The purpose of sections 202 through 211 of this act is to establish a framework for teacher preparation programs and to recognize teaching as a profession.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 202. The higher education coordinating board consistent with its planning and degree approval responsibilities under chapter 28B.80 RCW, the state board of education consistent with its teacher certification program policy responsibilities under RCW 28A.04.120(1) and (2), and the office of the superintendent of public instruction consistent with its teacher certification program administration responsibilities under 28A.70.005, shall cooperate in the planning for the development of professional teacher preparation degree programs by institutions of higher education.

The higher education coordinating board, the state board of education, and the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall work with persons representing school directors, school administrators, teacher organizations, and public and independent institutions of higher education in developing these professional teacher preparation degree programs. The programs shall include the following elements:

(1) Developing a professional graduate-level professional teacher preparation degree program leading to a master in teaching degree.

(2) Establishing prerequisites for persons applying to a master in teaching degree program. The prerequisites for persons entering a program after September 1, 1990, shall include an undergraduate degree in the arts, humanities, or sciences. Course work in education courses at the undergraduate level and clinical experience should be encouraged.

(3) Establishing specific entrance and course requirements for the master in teaching degree program for persons holding a degree beyond the baccalaureate level to enter the master in teaching program, with credit given as applicable for advanced course work already completed.

(4) Developing an internship program for all candidates for the master in teaching degree. The candidate shall be required to serve a full time internship for at least one school semester. The candidate shall be supervised by a mentor teacher, a mentor principal, and a faculty member from the institution attended by the candidate. Cooperative agreements between the public or independent institutions of higher education and schools or school districts shall be required. The program shall include provisions for paid internships for candidates interning at public schools.

(5) Developing a program for mentor teachers and principals. The program agreements established by college and university teacher preparation programs shall include procedures for selection, evaluation, and the provision of supporting resources. Support and training shall be provided. Stipends shall be provided, as funds are appropriated, for mentor teachers and mentor principals at public schools.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 203. The higher education coordinating board, the state board of education, and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall work with the applicable public and independent institutions of higher education offering programs of principal preparation to change management training practices, including emphasizing increased opportunities for exercising professional judgment at the individual building level and providing teachers with opportunities to exercise independent professional judgment. The development of program recommendations for principal preparation programs should include:

(1) Procedures for a collaborative process between school districts and the public or independent institutions of higher education to select persons to attend the principal preparation programs;

(2) Procedures for recruitment and selection of principal candidates who reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of the school population; and

(3) Provisions for a funded internship program for principal candidates consistent with legislative appropriation, the provision of release time equivalent to not less than one academic semester from normal duties for the interns, and the establishment of mentor principals and supervision by faculty from the public or independent institution of higher education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 204. The state board of education's teacher certification policies, procedures, and standards shall include:

(1) A teacher certification system for all persons applying for initial certification after September 1, 1992, with required qualifications being successful completion of a recognized graduate level professional teacher preparation program including a supervised teaching internship developed pursuant to section 202(4) of this act and resulting in a master in teaching degree: PROVIDED, That a temporary one year certificate may be granted to a person who is enrolled in an approved graduate level professional teacher preparation program leading to a master in teaching degree. Such temporary certificate may be renewed once.

(2) A flexible teacher certification process that would permit a public or independent institution of higher education offering teacher preparation programs to develop alternative models to implement the master in teaching degree;

(3) A policy allowing the certification of individuals who have received their teaching preparation from higher education institutions in other jurisdictions, with a flexible process for evaluating experience and preparation to ensure compatibility with this state's professional teacher preparation requirements;

(4) Continuation of a process for authorizing the performance of limited teaching duties for specified time periods by individuals retained by school districts to assist in providing special expertise or fulfilling a temporary need that cannot be met by a certificated teacher;

(5) Establishment of professional teacher continuing certification requirements based on state board of education standards designed to enhance the continued professional development of teachers after their initial certification;

(6) Monitoring the development of studies for establishing a national teacher assessment and certification process, and advising on the applicability for this state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 205. The state board of education's approval of standards for principal preparation programs shall be consistent with section 203 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 206. The higher education coordinating board and the state board of education shall develop recommended legislation for programs to enhance the master in teaching degree program. Recommendations for programs to be implemented beginning with the 1989 school year shall include but not be limited to:

(1) Graduate scholarships for master in teaching degree candidates, especially minorities, the disadvantaged, and the needy; and

(2) Undergraduate work study programs for persons intending to enter a master in teaching program to provide services in the common schools.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 207. The state board of education and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall review the provisions of the interstate agreement on qualifications of educational personnel under chapter 28A.93 RCW, and advise the governor and the legislature on which interstate reciprocity provisions will require amendment to be consistent with sections 201 through 205 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 208. The state board of education and the higher education coordinating board shall seek to establish agreements with independent institutions of higher education offering teacher preparation programs to develop teacher and principal preparation programs consistent with sections 202 and 203 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 209. The higher education coordinating board shall submit by not later than February 1, 1988, a report detailing the specific implementation plans for the revised graduate professional teacher preparation degree program under section 202 of this act and principal preparation degree program under section 203 of this act to the governor for review, comment, and presentation to the legislature in 1988. The state board of education shall, by February 1, 1988, submit to the governor and the legislature, its revised plan for professional teacher certification incorporating at a minimum the required qualifications under section 204 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 210. The higher education coordinating board shall develop a planning implementation schedule in undertaking the professional teacher preparation degree program responsibilities. The higher education coordinating board may, after receiving concurrence from the office of financial management on the planning schedule, and in accordance with the appropriations provided therefor, pay the travel expenses under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 of participating representatives of agencies and institutions. The higher education coordinating board may contract for public and independent institutions of higher education to undertake teacher preparation program development consistent with sections 201 through 206 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 211. The superintendent of public instruction, commencing with plans for the 1991-92 school year, shall advise the governor and legislature about the estimated number of funded teacher internships required to meet the state's needs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 212. Sections 201 through 211 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28A RCW. @bcPart iii

Staff development@ec

Sec. 301. Section 2, chapter 189, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. as last amended by section 1, chapter 214, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28A.71.210 are each amended to read as follows:

The superintendent of public instruction is hereby empowered to administer funds now or hereafter appropriated for the conduct of in-service training programs for public school certificated and classified personnel and to supervise the conduct of such programs. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules in accordance with chapter 34.04 RCW that provide for the allocation of such funds to public school district or educational service district applicants on such conditions and for such training programs as he or she deems to be in the best interest of the public school system: PROVIDED, That each district requesting such funds shall have:

(1) Conducted a district needs assessment , including plans developed at the building level, to be reviewed and updated at least every two years, of certificated and classified personnel to determine identified strengths and weakness of personnel that would be strengthened by such in-service training program;

(2) Established an in-service training task force and demonstrated to the superintendent of public instruction that the task force has participated in identifying in-service training needs and goals; and

(3) Demonstrated to the superintendent of public instruction its intention to implement the recommendations of the needs assessment and thereafter the progress it has made in providing in-service training as identified in the needs assessment.

The task force required by this section shall be composed of representatives from the ranks of administrators, building principals, teachers, classified and support personnel employed by the applicant school district or educational service district, from the public, and from an institution(s) of higher education, in such numbers as shall be established by the school district board of directors or educational service district board of directors.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 302. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.