SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5450

BYSenators 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 Finkel (786-7483)

                  February 28, 1989

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 27, 1989

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, adopt necessary rules and guidelines, 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 expressed intention of the applicant to teach the learned Pacific Rim language.  Scholarship funds may be appropriated privately, donated or given to the board for this purpose.  Conditional scholarships are limited to $3,000 per 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 five 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 State Board of Education is directed to adopt rules for teachers who are proficient in a Pacific Rim language to teach the language without meeting all certification requirements.

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

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

"Proficient" is defined.  The number of languages is reduced to four and includes Spanish.  A teacher must work ten years rather than five to have the conditional scholarship forgiven.

The rules under which a person may teach without a certificate are expanded to include those proficient in a language.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested February 17, 1989

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