AN
ACT Relating to a teacher training pilot program; adding new sections to
chapter 28B.80 RCW; creating new sections; 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;
(c)
To award grants no later than September 1st in those years when funding is
available by June 30th;
(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. If
specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or
chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 1999, in the omnibus appropriations
act, this act is null and void.
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.
