AN ACT Relating to the professional educator renewal program; reenacting and amending RCW 28A.70.110; and adding new sections to Title 28A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. Section 17, chapter 15, Laws of 1975-'76 2nd ex. sess. and section 3, chapter 92, Laws of 1975-'76 2nd ex. sess. and RCW 28A.70.110 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) The fee for any certificate, or any renewal thereof, issued by the authority of the state of Washington, and authorizing the holder to teach or perform other professional duties in the public schools of the state shall be ((~~not less than one dollar or such reasonable fee therefor as~~)) determined by the state board of education by rule ((~~or regulation shall deem necessary therefor~~)). However, effective July 1, 1990, any such fee shall be increased by ten dollars to support the professional educator renewal program established under section 3 of this 1990 act. The fee must accompany the application and cannot be refunded unless the application is withdrawn before it is finally considered.

(2) The educational service district superintendent, or other official authorized to receive such fee, shall within thirty days transmit the same to the treasurer of the county in which the office of the educational service district superintendent is located, to be credited by ((~~him placed~~)) the treasurer to the ((~~credit of said~~)) school district or educational service district((~~: PROVIDED, That~~)) with the following exceptions:

(a) If any school district collecting fees for the certification of professional staff does not hold a professional training institute separate from the educational service district then all such moneys shall be placed to the credit of the educational service district.

(b) The treasurer of the county shall within thirty days transmit an amount equal to ten dollars per fee received by the educational service district superintendent or other authorized official to the state treasurer for deposit in the sabbatical leave account established under section 4 of this 1990 act.

(3) Any such fees not transmitted to the state treasurer shall be used ((~~solely~~)) for the purpose of precertification professional preparation, program evaluation, and professional in-service training programs in accord with rules and regulations of the state board of education herein authorized.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The legislature recognizes that it is important to retain experienced teachers to teach our youth. No substitute can be found for the knowledge gained by actually teaching children and understanding their needs and motivations. It is also clear that as professionals, teachers need the time and opportunity to rejuvenate themselves and to update their knowledge by returning to school or working on special projects. In recognition of this need, the professional educator renewal program is created. The legislature encourages business, industry, and philanthropic organizations to join with state government in making this program successful.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall establish the professional educator renewal program which shall include grants to selected school districts to implement sabbatical leave policies adopted under RCW 28A.58.099. The superintendent shall establish criteria by rule for evaluating and determining which districts shall be awarded the grants.

(2) School districts applying for grants shall submit a written application to the superintendent of public instruction no later than July 1st of any year for sabbatical leave to begin September 1st of the following year. The application shall identify the teachers who have been selected by the applicant district as candidates. The application shall rank the candidates in order of preference and shall submit no more than two names. The application shall also identify the procedure by which the district selected its candidates.

(3) Grants provided by the state under this section shall not exceed forty-nine percent of the actual cost of salary and benefits received by the selected certificated instructional staff for the school year preceding the employee's sabbatical leave. Any school district receiving a grant shall pay remaining costs of salary and benefits for the selected employee during the year of sabbatical leave from other moneys available to the district for this purpose.

(4) The superintendent of public instruction shall select and notify the selected certificated instructional staff and the school districts of the sabbatical leave grant awards no later than November 1st prior to the year of sabbatical leave. Grant moneys shall be disbursed to school districts beginning in the 1991-92 school year.

(5) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The sabbatical leave account is established in the custody of the state treasurer. This account shall be subject to appropriation by the legislature, and may be used only for grants to school districts for the professional educator renewal program established under section 3 of this act. No moneys may be expended from the sabbatical leave account unless matched by twice that amount from a general fund appropriation provided by the legislature for sabbatical leave grants under section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 2 through 4 of this act are each added to Title 28A RCW.