AN ACT Relating to alternatives to teacher certification; adding new sections to Title 28A RCW; providing an expiration date; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:

(a) There is a current shortage of teachers in certain fields and that some projections indicate a potential increase in teacher shortage levels within the next several years;

(b) There is a need to attract into the teaching profession persons from minority groups; and

(c) There is a need to encourage individuals with skills learned in other occupational fields and who are subject matter qualified but do not possess a Washington state teaching certificate or permit to consider teaching as a new or additional career direction.

(2) It is the intent of the legislature to prepare for a possible increase in the current teacher shortage, attract minorities to the teaching profession, and encourage career professionals from other fields into teaching by:

(a) Establishing a pilot alternate teacher preparation program as an alternate route of entry into the teaching profession to enable eligible persons to teach after limited preservice training, followed by completion of professional education coursework concurrent with supervised teaching experience; and

(b) Requiring, for persons who enter teaching through the alternate teacher preparation pilot program and who wish to remain in the profession, successful completion of professional education standards or coursework equivalent to the standards or coursework for persons who enter teaching through preparation programs approved by the state board of education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The state board of education, in consultation with an existing professional education advisory group, shall by December 15, 1990, adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW establishing standards for an alternate teacher preparation pilot program. In developing the standards the state board shall emphasize maximum flexibility and local control by school districts in the training, employment, supervision, and evaluation of alternate route teachers. The standards shall include but are not limited to standards for eligibility, preservice training, in- service training, supervision, and evaluation.

(2) The eligibility standards for persons who want to participate in the alternate teacher preparation pilot program shall include requiring that the person:

(a) Hold a baccalaureate degree in the arts, sciences, and/ or humanities from an accredited college or university;

(b) Have completed a minimum number of years, as determined by the state board, of occupational experience that would contribute to the person's effectiveness as a teacher; and

(c) Comply with the background check through the Washington state patrol criminal investigation system required under RCW 28A.70.005.

(3) The preservice training standards shall include but are not limited to:

(a) Identification of minimum professional education knowledge and skills necessary to assume teaching responsibilities. The state board may work from the provisions of RCW 28A.04.180(3) in developing these standards; and

(b) Completion of a preservice training program in professional education knowledge and skills developed jointly by at least one school district and one higher education institution with a state board approved teacher preparation program before assuming teaching responsibilities.

(3) The in-service training standards shall include but are not limited to:

(a) Assignment of a mentor teacher to the alternate route teacher pursuant to the teacher assistance program under RCW 28A.67.240;

(b) Participation by the alternate route teacher in the teacher assistance program; and

(c) Local provision for necessary assistance and reasonable planning and study time for the alternate route teacher, including preservice planning.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Commencing August 31, 1993, applicants for participation in the alternate teacher preparation pilot program shall take the examination under RCW 28A.70.010. The results of the examination shall be used by approved alternate teacher preparation training programs in meeting the training needs of the applicant. Passage of the examination by applicants for alternate route teacher employment shall not be a prerequisite for such employment.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The state board of education shall develop an alternate route teacher certificate for the pilot program. The certificate shall be valid for not more than two years. An alternate route teacher desiring to teach beyond the expiration period of their alternate route certificate shall apply for initial or professional certification with the superintendent of public instruction. Such certification shall be conditioned upon the demonstration of professional education standards equivalent to the professional education standards for persons who enter teaching through preparation programs approved by the state board of education. Such demonstration may be indicated by positive evaluations under the evaluation standards adopted under section 2 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The alternate teacher preparation pilot program shall commence not later than the 1991-92 school year and shall conclude at the end of the 1995-96 school year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) The state board shall report to the legislature and the governor by December 15, 1990, on:

(a) The standards adopted pursuant to section 2 of this act;

(b) Recommendations for placement of alternate route teachers on the state-wide salary allocation schedule developed while teaching under an alternate route certificate, and how appropriate related occupational experience might be recognized for compensation purposes; and

(c) Funding necessary to support alternate teacher preparation training programs pursuant to section 2(3)(b) of this act.

(2) The state board shall report annually to the legislature and the governor on the alternate teacher preparation pilot program. Each report is due by December 1. Each report, beginning with the December 1, 1991, report, shall include but is not limited to:

(a) The total number of alternate route teachers hired by school districts;

(b) The grade levels and subject areas assigned;

(d) The number of alternate route teachers who applied for initial or professional certification.

(3) The final report is due December 1, 1996.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 6 of this act are each added to Title 28A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. This act shall expire December 31, 1996.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. The sum of forty-nine 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 state board of education for the purposes of sections 2 and 6(1) of this act.