SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 5450

BYSenate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators Talmadge, Moore, Murray and Bauer)

Providing for education in Pacific Rim languages.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 20, 1989; February 27, 1989

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5450 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Bailey, Chairman; Lee, Vice Chairman; Bender, Benitz, Fleming, Gaspard, Metcalf, Murray, Rinehart.

Senate Staff:Susan Mosborg (786-7439)

                  March 3, 1990

House Committe on Higher Education

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 2, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Legislature acknowledges that it is important for students and future citizens to become fluent in the language of the Pacific Rim.  The economic future of Washington State will be benefitted by increasing the number of students who are proficient in Pacific Rim languages.

SUMMARY:

The Legislature's goal is to increase the number of students studying Pacific Rim languages by 400 percent in the next 12 years.  The Pacific Rim Language Teachers Conditional Scholarship Program is established to be administered by the Higher Education Coordinating (HEC) Board.  The board shall have the power and duties to:  select the students to receive the conditional scholarships; publicize the program; collect and manage repayments from students who do not meet their teaching obligations; and solicit and accept grants and donations for the program.

The HEC board establishes a planning committee to develop criteria for screening and selection of recipients of the conditional scholarships.  These criteria are based in part on the student's proficiency in the language and expressed intention to teach the learned Pacific Rim language.  Scholarship funds may be from the state, private donation, or from other sources.  Conditional scholarships are limited to $3,000 per academic year per student for no more than five years.

Students awarded a scholarship under this program incur an obligation to repay it in one of two ways:  either by teaching for ten years in the public schools of Washington State, or by returning the money with interest over a 10-year period beginning nine months after the participant finishes or discontinues the program.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall encourage school districts to establish teacher exchange programs with schools in Pacific Rim nations.

The temporary permit issued by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to qualified nonimmigrant aliens for teaching as an exchange teacher in the public schools is renewable more than once for more than one year.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Senator Phil Talmadge, prime sponsor (pro); Ken Watson, Gov. Relations, Seattle Public Schools (pro); Bob Fisher, WEA

HOUSE AMENDMENT:

All provisions of ESSB 5450 are deleted, except the section making renewable more than once the one-year temporary permit issued by the SPI to qualified nonimmigrant aliens to teach in the public schools as an exchange teacher.