HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                 HB  1426

Title:  An act relating to educational staff associate positions.

Brief Description:  Allowing nonschool service credit for educational staff associate positions for salary schedule purposes.

Sponsors:  Representatives Carlson, Quall, Talcott, Schual‑Berke, Stensen, Ogden, Haigh, Keiser and Linville.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Meeting Date:  February 15, 1999.

Bill Analysis Prepared by: Suzi Morrissey (786-7111).

Background:  Through the apportionment process, the state makes payments to school districts for basic education certificated instructional staff.    Besides teachers, certificated instructional staff  include other professionals who meet certification requirements adopted by the State Board of Education.  These certificated professional staff are called educational staff associates.  They include school nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, school counselors, and school social workers.  

Funding for certificated staff salaries is based on a state salary allocation schedule that is adopted in the state=s biennial operating budget.  The salary allocation schedule is used by the state to account for differences in the education and experience of each district's certificated instructional staff.  One factor that the schedule recognizes is the number of years a certificated staff person has worked within the  state school system.   Typically, the greater the experience and education of such staff, the greater the allocation from the state for salary purposes.  Actual salaries are negotiated locally, within certain state established constraints.  However, about 240 school districts use the state salary allocation schedule to determine salaries for certificated instructional staff.

Summary of Bill:  Beginning in the 1999-2000 school year, the state salary allocation schedule will recognize years of professional experience obtained outside the state school system by certain educational staff   associates.  The staff associates included are:  school nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists.

Until the 2002-2003 school year,  every two years of  professional experience obtained outside the school system will count as one year of school service on the state salary allocation schedule.  Beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, each year of professional experience obtained outside the school system will count as one year of school service.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 10, 1999..

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.