HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESB 5826

BYSenators Bauer, Bailey, West, Rinehart, Saling, Barr, Patterson, Gaspard, Murray, Anderson, Fleming and Bender

Extending the student teaching pilot projects until December 1990.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (18)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Cole, Dorn, Fuhrman, Holland, Horn, Jones, Phillips, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Schoon, Valle, Walker and K. Wilson.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (18)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Bowman, Brekke, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Hine, McLean, Nealey, Padden, Peery, Spanel, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:      Janet Peterson (786-7136)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 14, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In 1987, as part of an omnibus education measure, the Legislature directed the State Board of Education to establish a two-year pilot program to support innovative ways to expand student teaching opportunities throughout the state.  Four pilot projects are in operation but did not begin until the 1988-89 school year.  Extending the program one year would allow a full two-year test of the projects.

SUMMARY:

The pilot program for student teaching projects is extended from January 16, 1990 to December 31, 1990.

The State Board of Education will submit to the Legislature a preliminary report on the program by December 1, 1989 and a final report by December 1, 1990.

The state board is to establish or use an existing professional education advisory group to assist the board and the pilot projects.  Issues to be addressed are the roles and responsibilities of entities involved in implementing the projects, and the roles of the common school system and higher education in the preparation of prospective teachers.

The enactment of the bill is contingent on funding in the budget.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Education)  Bill Fromhold, ESD 112; Cynthia Boucher, Student Teacher; Carol Anderle, Teacher; Ruth Clark, Kelso School District Board Member; John Sullivan, Superintendent, Ridgefield School District; John Parker, Evergreen State College; Carrolyn Henderson, Grays Harbor Student Teacher Program; and Ida Whittaker, Citizen.

(Appropriations)  Senator Al Bauer, prime sponsor; John Sullivan, Superintendent, Ridgefield School District; Sandra Falls, student teacher, Battleground School District; Ruth Clark, Kelso School District Board Member; Carrolyn Henderson, Director, Grays Harbor Student Teacher Program; John Parker, Director of Teacher Education, Evergreen State College.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Education)  None Presented.

(Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Education)  The student teaching pilot programs have increased the number of students student teaching in the small districts within Educational Service District 112 from 40 to 120.  The presence of student teachers brings new information to the existing staff and allows that staff to share their experience with the student teachers.  The use of existing Educational Service District staff to conduct evaluations of the student teacher along with the supervising teacher and representative of the college or university ensure more frequent supervision and an evaluation from several evaluators rather than the opinion of a single person.  The program also allows students who live in the area to complete student teaching without relocating their families.  This is particularly important to older students who must consider the needs of their own family.  The program has worked in four of the Educational Service Districts and in several cases has placed students for student teaching from eight different training programs including schools from Washington, Oregon and California.  Additional funding would allow the program to complete two full years of operation before the final evaluation.

(Appropriations)  Student teaching placements enrich rural school districts by creating opportunities for staff development and exchange of ideas with higher education faculty and students.  Placements in remote areas are impossible without cooperative arrangements to assist higher education faculty in conducting student evaluations and site visits.  Rural areas need teachers trained for their unique needs.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Education)  None Presented.

(Appropriations)  None Presented.