H-1856

AN ACT Relating to a teacher training pilot program; adding new sections to chapter 28B.80 RCW; creating a new section; making appropriations; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. There is a need for a coordinated program of teacher training that will involve high schools, community colleges, and four-year institutions of higher education in a collaborative, seamless approach to developing teachers for the kindergarten through twelfth grade system. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature that an innovative pilot project be established for teacher training and attracting teacher candidates. Furthermore, the legislature intends to establish a pilot program by creating a competitive grant program to assist educational institutions in developing teacher training programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The higher education coordinating board, in consultation with the state board of education has the following powers and duties in administering the pilot program established in section 3 of this act:

(a) To adopt rules necessary to carry out the program;

(b) To establish one or more review committees to assist in the evaluation of proposals for funding. The review committee shall include individuals with significant experience in higher education in areas relevant to one or more of the funding period priorities and shall include representatives from elementary, two-year, and four-year sectors of education;

(d) To establish each biennium specific guidelines for submitting grant proposals consistent with the overall goals of the program. During the 1999-2001 biennium, the guidelines shall be consistent with the following desired outcomes of:

(i) Designing a college-level course for enrollment of selected high school seniors interested in teaching careers and students enrolled in a school-based future teachers academy;

(ii) Designing discipline-based lower division courses that are thematically linked to state student learning goals, essential academic learning requirements, and upper division courses in the interdisciplinary arts and science curriculum and supportive of teaching areas appropriate for prospective teachers;

(iii) Designing a preprofessional educational studies minor that would be pursued by prospective kindergarten through eighth grade teachers in conjunction with an interdisciplinary arts and science major;

(iv) Designing mentoring and service learning activities at the community college level that would provide prospective teachers with an orientation to professional education; and

(v) Designing a process for satisfying certification requirements that encompasses pedagogical coursework and school-based internships cognizant of the financial constraints of working students.

(2) The pilot project in this section shall conclude no later than January 1, 2005.

(3) Beginning on December 31, 2001, the higher education coordinating board shall submit an annual written report to the education and higher education committees of the legislature, the state board of education, and the office of the superintendent of public instruction on the status of the pilot project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The Washington teacher training pilot program is established. The higher education coordinating board shall administer the program. Through this program the board may award, on a competitive basis, grants to public institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions to encourage high quality and effective teacher training programs. Grants shall not exceed a two-year period. Strong priority shall be given to proposals that involve shared facilities, shared resources, and cocurricular planning to establish the teacher training program, and to proposals that involve participants from the interdisciplinary arts and science curriculum and professional education faculty as well as classroom teachers from school districts. Institutions of higher education are encouraged to solicit nonstate funds to support this coordinated approach to teacher training.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The higher education coordinating board may solicit and receive such gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources as may be made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the purposes of the program and may expend the same or any income therefrom according to the terms of the gifts, grants, or endowments.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The higher education coordinating board teacher training pilot account is established in the custody of the state treasurer. The higher education coordinating board shall deposit in the account all moneys received under section 4 of this act. Moneys in the account may be spent only for the purposes of section 3 of this act. Disbursements from the account shall be on the authorization of the higher education coordinating board. The account is subject to the allotment procedure provided under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for disbursements.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) The sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board to implement the pilot project in section 3 of this act.

(2) The sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board to implement the pilot project in section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 2 through 5 of this act are each added to chapter 28B.80 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 1 through 5 of this act expire January 30, 2005.