AN ACT Relating to teachers training teachers; adding new sections to Title 28A RCW; repealing RCW 28A.67.240; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that increased cooperation and coordination between institutions of higher education and school districts is necessary as it relates to the induction of new staff into the profession of teaching. The legislature further finds that an increase in the level of such cooperation and coordination in selecting, training, and supervising outstanding "mentor" and "cooperating" teachers, and the development of new school and university partnerships, will be beneficial to the teaching profession, and will enhance the ability of all new teachers to perform at a more competent level during their initial teaching experience. The teachers training teachers program is hereby created to provide mentor teachers for all beginning teachers during their first year of teaching, and to provide cooperating teachers for all student teachers during their student teaching internship. The legislature believes that the teachers training teachers program will further enhance the teaching profession and enable teachers to assume more responsibility and accountability for their professional work including the performance of their students.

PART I

TEACHER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

NEW SECTION. Sec. 101. TEACHER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to establish and operate a teacher assistance program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 102. MENTOR TEACHERS. Mentor teachers shall be selected and appointed by school districts, and shall hold a continuing or professional certificate. Districts shall seek advice from teachers and administrators, and institutions of higher education in the selection of persons to be mentor teachers.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 103. ASSISTANCE BY MENTOR TEACHERS. All first-year beginning teachers and other certificated instructional employees shall be provided a mentor teacher for an entire school year. The mentor teacher shall provide a source of continuing and sustained assistance, training and support, both in and out of the classroom. A mentor teacher may not be involved in evaluations under RCW 28A.67.065 of a teacher who receives assistance from that mentor teacher under the teacher assistance program established under sections 101 through 105 of this act. Mentor teachers shall collaborate with their school principals respecting the support, training, and assistance they provide under this program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 104. STIPENDS FOR MENTOR TEACHERS. Stipends shall be provided for mentor teachers by the state at the rate of one thousand dollars per quarter, or fraction thereof, biennially adjusted for inflation. These stipends shall be paid through supplemental contracts. The state operating appropriations act shall provide such funds as are necessary for the required number of mentor teachers to serve all first-year certificated instructional employees, and for such other numbers of experienced teachers who need assistance and hold an initial certificate, as may be funded in the state operating appropriations act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 105. ASSISTANCE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. The superintendent of public instruction shall, with the assistance of institutions of higher education, provide workshops for the training of mentor teachers, subject to appropriations in the state operating appropriations act. Assistance from current and former mentor and cooperating teachers shall also be sought by the superintendent in preparing and providing training. Periodic consultation by the superintendent shall be made with representatives of educational organizations and associations, including educational service districts and institutions of higher education, for the purposes of improving communication and cooperation, and program design and review.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 106. Section 1, chapter 399, Laws of 1985, section 1, chapter 507, Laws of 1987 and RCW 28A.67.240 are each repealed.

PART II

STUDENT TEACHER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

NEW SECTION. Sec. 201. STUDENT TEACHER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to establish and operate a student teacher assistance program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 202. COOPERATING TEACHERS. Cooperating teachers shall be jointly selected and appointed by school districts and institutions of higher education, and shall hold a continuing or professional certificate. Districts and institutions of higher education shall seek advice from teachers, administrators, and faculty in the selection of persons to be cooperating teachers.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 203. ASSISTANCE BY COOPERATING TEACHERS. All student teacher interns from a regionally accredited institution of higher education whose professional education preparation program has been approved by the state board of education shall, subject to the rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction, be provided a cooperating teacher for up to two quarters. The cooperating teacher shall provide a source of continuing and sustained assistance, and training and support, both in and out of the classroom. A cooperating teacher shall be involved in evaluations and recommendations to the institutions of higher education respecting the competency of the student teacher intern. Cooperating teachers shall collaborate with their school principals respecting the support, training, and assistance they provide under this program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 204. STIPENDS FOR COOPERATING TEACHERS. Stipends shall be provided for cooperating teachers by the state at the rate of one thousand dollars per quarter, or fraction thereof, biennially adjusted for inflation. These stipends shall be paid through supplemental contracts. The state operating appropriations act shall provide such funds as are necessary for the required number of cooperating teachers to serve all eligible student teacher interns.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 205. ASSISTANCE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. The superintendent of public instruction shall, with the assistance of institutions of higher education, provide workshops for training cooperating teachers, subject to appropriations in the state operating appropriations act. Assistance from current and former cooperating and mentor teachers shall also be sought by the superintendent in preparing and providing the training. Periodic consultation by the superintendent shall be made with representatives of educational organizations and associations, including educational service districts, for the purposes of improving communication and cooperation, and program design and review.

PART III

MISCELLANEOUS

NEW SECTION. Sec. 301. The process for selection of mentor and cooperating teachers shall be subject to RCW 41.59.090.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 302. Subheadings and section headings as used in sections 101 through 105 and 201 through 205 of this act do not constitute any part of the law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 303. Sections 101 through 105, 201 through 205, and 301 of this act are each added to Title 28A RCW.