SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6668

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                  Education, February 3, 2000

                Ways & Means, February 8, 2000

Title:  An act relating to standards for educator quality.

Brief Description:  Promoting standards for educator quality.

Sponsors:  Senators McAuliffe, Finkbeiner, Eide, Rasmussen, Goings, Kohl‑Welles, B. Sheldon and Patterson; by request of Governor Locke.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Education:  1/24/2000, 2/3/2000 [DPS-WM, DNP].

Ways & Means:  2/7/2000. 2/8/2000 [DPS (EDU)].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6668 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

  Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Eide, Vice Chair; Bauer, Brown, Goings, Kohl-Welles and Rasmussen.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.

  Signed by Senators Finkbeiner, Hochstatter, Swecker and Zarelli.

Staff:  Vanessa Power (786-7448)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6668 as recommended by Committee on Education be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Loveland, Chair; Bauer, Vice Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Fairley, Fraser, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, McDonald, Rasmussen, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, West, Winsley and Wojahn.

Staff:  Bill Freund (786-7441)

Background:  As part of its duties, the State Board of Education sets requirements for teachers, administrators, and educational staff associates in preparation, assessment,  certification, and standards of practice.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The Professional Educator Standards Board is created to advise the State Board of Education on issues related to educators and establish rules governing teacher testing.

The Professional Educator Standards Board includes 20 members representing different facets of the education profession.  Members are appointed by the Governor and serve staggered terms of four years, not to exceed a total of eight years.  The Professional Educator Standards Board must annually report its activities to the Governor and the Legislature.

The Professional Educator Standards Board advises the State Board of Education on issues concerning educator recruitment, hiring, preparation, certification, mentoring and support, professional growth, retention, and governance.

By September 1, 2001, the Professional Educator Standards Board must make a basic skills assessment available for teachers.  Beginning August 1, 2002, teaching certificate and teacher preparation program applicants must pass the basic skills assessment.  Beginning September 1, 2002, the Professional Educator Standards Board begins implementing a subject knowledge assessment.  The assessment does not include teaching methodology.

Unless an appropriation is provided, applicants for teacher certification pay a fee for assessment and related costs.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The bill is amended to create the Professional Educator Standards Board as an advisory board to the State Board of Education on issues concerning recruitment, hiring, preparation, certification, mentoring and support, professional growth, retention, and governance.  The bill removes the transfer of State Board of Education powers and duties related to educator preparation, licensing, and standards of practice, to the Professional Educator Standards Board.

The Professional Educator Standards Board will provide an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature on its activities.

The membership of the Professional Educator Standards Board is changed.  One of the public school teachers must be vocationally certificated.  The private school teacher must be certificated.  The school administrators include two public school principals, one private school principal, and one superintendent.  Two educational staff associates are added to the board.  An additional higher education preparation program representative is added to the board.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction is a voting member.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  Development of a self-regulating board will allow those in the profession to determine their own standards of practice.  A standards board will bring focus, ownership, and a foundation for regulating the profession.  Other states with standards boards claim that self-regulation results in higher standards.

Testimony Against:  There is no need to change the governing structure and create a new board because the State Board of Education's advisory board is comprised of teachers.  The elements of this bill should be incorporated into current reform efforts.  There is no provision in the assessment portion for testing pedagogy, and it is important to have all three levels of assessment (basic skills, subject area, and pedagogy) to fully assess teacher quality.

Testified (Education):  PRO:  Lin Douglas, Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction (with concerns); Gary King, Washington Education Association; Rainier Houser, Association of Washington School Principals; Michael Vavrus, Public Deans of Teacher Education; Jennifer Wallace, Governor's Office; CON:  Lorraine Wilson, Washington State School Directors Association; Linda Carpenter, State Board of Education; Larry Davis, State Board of Education; Barbara Mertens, Washington Association of School Administrators.

Testified (Ways & Means):  PRO:  Lin Douglas, Ken Kanikeberg, OSPI; Jim Crawford, Office of Financial Management; Gary King, WEA.