SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5758

BYSenators Bailey and Rinehart

Providing for an educational research center and the development of a field-based teacher preparation model.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 21, 1989; February 23, 1989

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

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

Senate Staff:Susan Finkel (786-7483)

                  February 24, 1989

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 23, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The Legislature recognizes that educational research is developing at a fast pace.  There does not now exist a centralized educational research center to monitor, collect, evaluate and disseminate research in education.

Under State Board of Education rules, approved teacher preparation programs must provide students with field experiences, including student teaching.  No program is fully clinically-based.

SUMMARY:

The Higher Education Coordinating (HEC) Board, in conjunction with other educational institutions, develops a plan to establish at least one educational research center located at an existing state college, university or branch campus in Washington State.  The purpose of the research center is to assist in educational research and field testing of innovations in curriculum design, teaching methodology, management practices, and school organizational structures. 

The research center is to take advantage of existing programs related to the preparation of candidates for teacher certification.  It is to collect information from the Schools for the 21st Century program relating to school organization structures and to disseminate the information to all approved teacher preparation programs in the state.

The State Board of Education establishes a grant program for the development of a field-based teacher preparation model which takes place in a school building under the Schools for the 21st Century program.  Rules to develop and implement the grant project shall be adopted no later than January 30, 1990.

Grant application criteria are established, including documentation that the proposed model was developed jointly by the college or university and at least one school district; and documentation that the model will focus on at least two of the following:  at-risk students; preschool students; urban educational settings; rural educational settings; middle school students; and alternative career opportunities.

A report is to be made annually to the State Board of Education by the selected projects.  The State Board must report to the Legislature by January 15, 1993 on the implementation and progress of the model field-based project(s), and submit a final report by January 15, 1995.

Grant applications are awarded by the State Board of Education no later than May 31, 1990; the model field based teacher preparation program(s) runs from the beginning of the 1990 school year through the 1993-94 school year.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED COMMITTEE AMENDMENT:

The field based teacher preparation model(s) may occur in any district.

Appropriation:    $49,500 to the HEC board to establish the research center; $150,000 to the State Board of Education to establish the grant program; not less than $120,000 to provide grants.

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested February 21, 1989

Senate Committee - Testified: Steve Lilly, College of Education, WSU (pro); Ron Robinson, Office of the Governor (pro)