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                                ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5227

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Saling, Bauer, Patterson, Stratton, Smitherman, Williams, Lee and Hansen)

Read first time 2/8/89.

AN ACT Relating to excellence in higher education; adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that the development of the ability to communicate through the written word is crucial to successful performance in the labor market and in secondary and postsecondary education. The legislature recognizes the need to significantly improve the writing skills of common school and college students to help them succeed in higher education and in their chosen professions.  The legislature intends to encourage common school and college faculty to improve the writing skills of Washington students.  Curricula may be designed to train educators in techniques for teaching writing that incorporate the results of current research on writing processes.  Teachers who return to college for additional course work and who are trained in this curriculum shall be encouraged to teach their fellow teachers in workshops and faculty development programs.  The common schools and public institutions of higher education are encouraged to utilize any existing or planned telecommunications system in carrying out the purposes of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     Each public institution of higher education should include the Washington state writing project as part of their curricula.

          (1) The Washington state writing project is modeled after the national writing project;

          (2) The curriculum implementing the project may be designed to systematically improve the writing skills of common school and college teachers, and the students attending common schools and postsecondary educational institutions;

          (3) The curriculum may also be designed to reach school and college personnel located in rural, urban, and suburban areas;

          (4) Participating schools, colleges, and universities are encouraged to integrate the proposed writing curriculum in institutional staff development programs;

          (5) Participating schools, colleges, and universities are encouraged to support the proposed curriculum;

          (6) The curriculum may encourage the use of participants as writing skills trainers for students and faculty of schools, colleges, and universities;

          (7) The curriculum may encourage opportunities for cooperation among various levels and segments of the common schools and postsecondary education;

          (8) Participating schools, colleges, and universities may provide continuing training and support opportunities to project participants; and

          (9) The curriculum may encourage a method for evaluating participant and student progress using measures approved by the higher education coordinating board or its designee.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board to carry out the purposes of this act.