H-3958.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2662

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Representatives Haigh, Quall, Talcott, Keiser, Rockefeller and Santos

Read first time 01/18/2000.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Studying the feasibility of a central repository of teacher education and experience information.

    AN ACT Relating to gathering and maintaining teacher education and experience information; creating a new section; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The legislature finds that teacher experience and education information is gathered and maintained on a district-by-district basis.  This information is important for many reasons, particularly for funding and compensation determinations and certification and recertification.  However, gathering and maintaining this information in the district in which the teacher is currently located results in duplication of records, additional administrative expenses, and redundancy in audit efforts, and also results in errors from teachers changing districts or limited staff resources.  The legislature intends to explore the feasibility of a central repository for teacher education and experience information.

    (2) The legislative evaluation and accountability program committee shall convene a work group to explore the feasibility of a central repository for teacher education and experience information and to make recommendations for establishing a central repository.  The feasibility study shall analyze the costs and benefits of a central repository including, but not limited to, the following:

    (a) Whether increased accuracy is likely;

    (b) Whether school districts can save administrative and training costs;

    (c) Whether teachers will benefit;

    (d) Whether a central repository allows for innovative use of the internet and other information technology;

    (e) Whether improved methods could be used to better ensure data reliability and integrity; and

    (f) Whether audits can be done more efficiently.

    (3) The feasibility study shall also estimate the cost of a central repository and estimate the savings a central repository would generate compared to the current methods of gathering and maintaining this information.

    (4) The work group shall include the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the office of the state auditor, the department of information services, and a representative from each of the following:  Teachers, a large school district, a small school district, educational service districts, school administrators, and others at the discretion of the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee.

    (5) Staffing for the work group shall be provided by the legislative accountability and evaluation program committee with assistance from the state agencies on the work group.

    (6) The feasibility study and recommendations shall be provided to the education and fiscal committees of the legislature by December 15, 2000.

    (7) This section expires December 31, 2000.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.

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